Lassa fever: Obaseki releases N100m for 4 dialysis machines, ventilators
Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, has ordered the immediate release of N100 million as first tranche payment for the procurement of four dialysis machines, ventilators, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), drugs and other consumables required for the treatment of Lassa fever patients.
Obaseki’s order followed report of the rising number of Lassa fever patients brought from across the country to the Institute of Lassa Fever Research and Control, in Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital (ISTH), Edo State, the only specialist facility for the treatment of the disease in Nigeria and the West Africa sub-region.
The governor directed his Commissioner for Health, Dr. David Osifo to deliver the equipment within 24 hours and make them available for use at the hospital, while tasking his Special Adviser on Media and Communication Strategy, Mr. Crusoe Osagie and the Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Paul Ohonbamu, to intensify Lassa fever awareness campaign in every nook and cranny of the state.
Earlier in the week, the state government as part of its proactive measures to curtail the spread of the disease, reactivated its rapid response team and commenced contact tracing for confirmed cases of the disease.
The state government is also working closely with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) for case management and disease surveillance.
Osifo said the government prevention and control of Lassa fever is multi-sectoral involving the ministries of Health, Environment, Agriculture, Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs and Information, working to put in place measures that will stop further spread of the current outbreak.
Edo and some states in the country are currently experiencing the outbreak of Lassa fever with significant proportion of the local government areas in Edo Central and North senatorial districts of the state already involved in the outbreak while others are at risk of being affected.
