* Five more doctors quarantined
Lassa fever has claimed the lives of a medical doctor at the Federal Medical Center, Azare alongside a District Head and eight others in Bauchi state.
A reliable source at the Abubakar Tafawa University Teaching Hospital, who craved anonymity, told Daily Trust that one doctor Mansur Mohammed died from Lassa fever last Friday.
The source said that the doctor and a nurse that treated a Lassa fever patient at the FMC Azare were infected and subsequently admitted at the ATBU teaching hospital.
“Both died in the hospital. Currently, five of our doctors have been quarantined in the hospital,” the source added.
Our reporter gathered that the Bauchi state governor, Bala Mohammed, has cut off his official trip to Germany and returned to the country today to tackle the Lassa fever outbreak as the disease ravaged the state.
A statement signed by the Special Assistant, New Media to the state governor, Lawal Muazu Bauchi, quoted the governor when he paid a visit to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) in Abuja.
“Because of the escalation of outbreak of Lassa fever in Bauchi state and the death of one of the District Heads due to the Lassa Fever and the infected medical personnel, I’ve decided to cut short my official visit to Germany by coming to solicit the support of the Federal Government through the DG Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and ED National Primary Health Care Development Agency.
“Our visit to you is to appreciate you for your commitment towards reducing the infectious diseases in the country and to intimate you that we are ever ready to work with you for effective provision of healthcare services in the state,” he stated.
Mohammed said his administration will engage religious and community leaders to sensitize its citizenry on how to prevent themselves against the disease.
He added that he is currently working to access alternative fundings from relevant bodies through the support of multilateral and global organizations working in the state.
It would be recalled that a traditional title holder, the Katukan Bauchi, who is also the District Head of Toro, Alhaji Garba Adamu Toro, on Friday died of Lassa fever in an Abuja hospital.
Efforts to get official comments from the Executive Chairman, Bauchi state Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr Rilwani Mohammed, wasn’t successful as he wasn’t available when our reporter visited his office.
But a senior official at the state’s ministry of Health, who doesn’t want his name in print, confided in our reporter that the disease has recently killed 10 people in the state.
In his remarks during the governor’s visit, NCDC’s Director General, Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, announced plans to establish a centre in Bauchi state to manage the disease outbreak, and urged the state government to provide the required manpower when called upon.
“Your Excellency, even before your visit to us today, you have our commitment, let’s work together so as to ensure effective service delivery.
“Human resources is one of the major challenges in the healthcare sector. I hope you will provide the required manpower. We will soon lay our foundation in Bauchi state to manage outbreak of diseases,” he said.
He noted that the centre is working in close collaboration with critical stakeholders to manage any outbreak of diseases across the country.
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