Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole |
Lassa fever has killed a
doctor and three other persons in Anambra State. The Ministry of Health
broke the news yesterday in Awka, the state capital, during a training workshop
on Lassa fever.
Media
report continues:
One
of the resource persons Dr Jane Ezeonu said the doctor died three days ago at
the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital (NAUTH) at Nnewi.
The
state’s Director of Public Health, Dr Emmanuel Okafor said three other persons
had died of the disease.
Ezeonu
said the late doctor was referred to NAUTH from Asaba, the Delta State capital.
She
warned against drinking raw garri, adding that the residents should protect
their foodstuffs and related items from rats.
The
expert noted that people don’t acquire immunity after suffering from Lassa
fever.
Ezeonu
said general hygiene was important in Lassa fever prevention.
Okafor
said the essence of the workshop was to train professionals who would educate
rural dwellers on the prevention of the disease.
He
said: “In Anambra State, we don’t know the number of cases of the disease. But
we have three confirmed deaths.”
The
director urged health workers to follow a high health standard in handling
Lassa fever cases.
He
said the state government had put machinery in motion to tackle the
outbreak. The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health, Dr
Okwuchukwu Chukwuka, insisted that there was no such epidemic in the state.
He
represented Commissioner for Health, Dr Josephat Akabuike, at the training
workshop.
Chukwuka
said: “It is a training workshop for health professionals in the 21 local
government areas of the state who would raise awareness and disseminate
information about Lassa fever to the grassroots.
“We are having the workshop
for prevention, not that we have an epidemic in the state.”
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