Ministry Of Health To Test 2018 Hajj Pilgrims Of Lassa Fever

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Ministry Of Health To Test 2018 Hajj Pilgrims Of Lassa Fever

The Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewale, says Nigeria does not constitute a global threat to any nation due to isolated cases of Lassa fever recorded in some states in the country.

Adewale stated this at the meeting of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) with Hajj Stakeholders on Lassa fever, organised by his office in Abuja.

The Minister said that Nigeria was on the verge of being declared Lassa fever free as the country currently has only a single reported case of the disease in one week.

He said that since January this year, due to the measures put in place by the Federal Government, incidence of Lassa fever was declining, saying.

“I can tell you that in the last one week only one case was recorded in Nigeria.”

According to him, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has also confirmed that in the last eight weeks the disease is going down in Nigeria.

He assured the government would continue to work assiduously to ensure constant surveillance of disease saying “any case of fever we will test to be sure is not Lassa fever”.

He said that the Ministry of Health was building capacity of health workers to ensure quick response, adding that President Muhammadu Buhari has released fund for the upgrade of health facilities and procurement of Lassa fever drugs.

Commenting on 2018 Hajj, the Minister said all Nigerian pilgrims must be thoroughly screened before they would be allow to be transported to Saudi Arabia for Umrah or Hajj, adding no Nigerian would be allowed to travel to Saudi with Lassa fever.

Speaking Earlier, the Executive Chairman, National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Abdullahi Muhammed said Saudi Authority had mapped out strategies and precautionary steps that would ensure that no Nigerian pilgrim enters the country with anything that would cause transmission or infection of Lassa fever.

” As you are all aware of recent, there have been media reports with regards to Lassa fever in Nigeria which drew the attention of Saudi Arabian Ministry of Health and in their wisdom they mapped out some preventive measures to guard against it transmission in Saudi during hajj.”

He assured that NAHCON, as the regulatory body for Hajj and Umrah, would do whatever it takes to complement the efforts of Saudi authority in ensuring that all travellers for hajj and Umrah are free of anything that had to do with Lassa fever.

” Since this matter was brought to the attention of the commission, we quickly wrote to the SGF and draw the government attention to the precautionary measures that the Saudi Authority will take.

” In the wisdom of the SGF he decided that we should have this very important stakeholders meeting with all Commissioners for Health from 36 states of the Federation and FCT.

” The essence of this gathering is for us to map out strategies that will give comfort to the Saudi Ministry of Health and the international community that Nigerian pilgrims will not in anyway endanger the lives of other members of the community that are performing hajj or umrah,” Muhammad said.

He said that NAHCON and all State Pilgrims Welfare Boards had agreed to work together in line with the guidelines that would be issued by the Federal Ministry of Health and other relevant agencies in screening pilgrims and their luggage thoroughly.

This according to him, would make sure that pilgrims luggage did not carry any insect or animal that transmit or could cause the infection of Lassa fever.

The NAHCON boss urged Executive Secretaries and Chairmen of State pilgrims boards to rededicate themselves so that Nigeria could prove to the world that the country was not a carrier of Lassa fever.

He, therefore, said that NAHCON had resolved as a matter of priority to constitute a National Medical Team for 2018 Hajj that would work hand in hand with all the relevant agencies in the screening of pilgrims to ensure that they are medically fit to travel to Saudi.

” I want to assure our brothers in Saudi Arabia that we will not allow any of our pilgrim to endanger the lives of other nationals that will be coming for hajj or umrah.

” We understand the fears and we will work together to address the situation, “he said.

The SGF, Mr Boss Mustapha, said that the efforts put in place by the Federal Government to curtail the spread of Lassa fever was yielding good results.

Mustafa, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Special Duties, Office of SGF, Mr Olusegun Adekunle, urged Nigerians to change the narrative about the disease because it was seriously declining. (NAN)

                                                  

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FCTA Reveals Lassa Fever Outbreak In Abuja Claimed 2 Lives

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FCTA Reveals Lassa Fever Outbreak In Abuja Claimed 2 Lives 

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) on Wednesday said two of the three confirmed cases of Lassa fever died within three months in the territory.

Humphrey Okoroukwu, the Director of Public Health and Human Services in the FCT disclosed this to newsmen in Abuja.

Mr Okoroukwu said that 38 suspected cases were reported and investigated, three confirmed, while two deaths were recorded.

He explained that “the only case of Lassa fever reported in Abuja Municipal Area Council in March eventually died.”

The director said that the remaining victim in FCTA, who has been under surveillance was discharged having exited the incubation period.

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Lassa Fever Outbreak In Abia State Left A Child, Health Worker Dead

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Lassa Fever Outbreak In Abia State Left A Child, Health Worker Dead

The Abia State government says it is aware of the reported outbreak of Lassa Fever at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Umuahia.

John Okiyi Kalu, Commissioner for Information, in a statement on Monday, said the state Ministry of health was working with the authorities of FMC to ensure full containment of the disease and prophylactic treatment of others who may have come in contact with the victims.

“We have fully deployed all our emergency medical response systems to instantly ensure full containment and management of the outbreak”, it said.

“The government wishes to call on members of the public to be vigilant and report all suspected cases to the nearest medical facility in the state.

“All those who had contact with the child, suspected to be the index case, and the medical practitioner who lost her life, should report to FMC Umuahia immediately for further review.

“Drugs for treatment of Lassa Fever are available in the state in good quantities and there is no cause for panic as the disease can be successfully treated, especially if diagnosed early.

“Members of the public are advised to ensure that they maintain clean and sanitary environment at all times.

“Our hearts and prayers are with the families and friends of the two identified victims of this sad and unfortunate outbreak. May God be with them at this time and always,” he stated.

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Lassa Fever Claims 3 Lives In Ekiti

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Lassa Fever Claims 3 Lives In Ekiti

Three persons have been confirmed dead in a fresh case of Lassa fever in Ekiti.

The Commissioner for Health, Dr Rotimi Ojo, made the disclosure in a statement to NAN, in Ado Ekiti.

He said that five out of the eight new suspected cases in the state tested negative, while one was uncertain, with the last pending as at press time.

Ojo added that the patient that tested positive and two others had passed on.

The commissioner insisted that there was still no cause for alarm in the state as government was taking proactive steps in its surveillance activities.

He gave an assurance that the State Disease Control team had been activated while the process of sensitising the people with jingles and other communication media were ongoing.

Ojo said that similar actions taken during the 2016 outbreak were successful, adding that the epidemic was controlled and the identified patient, who was properly managed, survived.

He said that the three isolation centres located at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido Ekiti, Oba Adejuyigbe General Hospital, Ado Ekiti and Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado Ekiti, were still operational.

The commissioner urged all stakeholders, including health practitioners, teachers, traditional rulers, religious leaders as well as community and opinion leaders, to collaborate with the state government to prevent the spread of the disease.

Ojo also advised residents of the state to avoid self medication and keeping sick people at home, adding that any unusual increase in temperature or fever must be promptly reported to the nearest health facility.

He further urged residents to embrace environmental sanitation practices and general cleanliness

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