Plateau on red alert over Lassa fever, Cholera outbreak

The Plateau State Government has set up a mechanism to prevent the likelihood of an outbreak of Lassa fever and cholera in the state.

Daily Trust reports that the state witnessed the outbreak of some diseases, especially Lassa fever and cholera during the dry season.

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The state’s commissioner for health, Dr Nimkong Ndam, stated this in a phone interview with Daily Trust in Jos.

He said: “Though the state is not currently witnessing any health challenge, as a proactive measure, we sent our medical team to National Center for Disease Control (NCDC) in Abuja for training on how to handle medical emergencies like Lassa Fever and cholera and other communicable diseases.

“In Plateau, we normally experience an outbreak of Lassa fever during the dry season.

“You know this is the season of bush burning which forced rats from the bush into homes in the rural areas.

“Some people even hunt for these rats and rodents in the bush by setting it on fire.

“Such habit put us at risk of Lassa fever at a season like this.

“Hence, we sent our medical team on training. They just return from the training and will also embark on train-the-trainer to also train primary health caregivers across the 17 local government areas of the state and this is in readiness for any epidemic.

“Again, dry season which is characterised with breeze and wind posed another health challenge to citizens, because the dusty air when blown around could contain poisonous substances that could lead to an epidemic. So, we are battle-ready for the season, ” he added.

By Ado Abubakar Musa & Yusufu Aminu Idegu, Jos