Lassa Fever: Ministry Warns Against Self Medication

Following the recent
Lassa fever outbreak in the country and indeed, Rivers State, the state Ministry of Health has warned against self medication among its residents in a bid to detect and contain the spread of the haemorrhagic fever.
Speaking  at a state sensitisation campaign at the Mile 1 Church, headquarters of the Port Harcourt Central District of the Seventh Day Adventist Chursh, Rivers Conference, last weekend, the chairman, State Social Mobilization Team, Dr Doris Nriah said that with the Lassa fever  assuming common symptoms of headache, cough, high fever among others, which are often generally traceable to malaria and minor infections, the era of self medication has gone.
Nriah revealed that the incubation period of the fever is between five to ten days maintaining that should self medication be administered within this period would be tantamount to a full blown Lassa fever which otherwise could have been prevented with ‘ribavirin’ were it reported to the nearest health centre.
Nriah said “once infected, a general symptom like malaria is seen but the difference is acute haemorrhage (bleeding) from the mouth, anus, hair follicles, audition impairment, swollen legs, restlessness, whitish mouth and lack of normal reasoning.
The earlier you are tested, the better.  Therefore, we need to as a matter of necessity desist from self medication and report at the nearest health centre if any of such symptoms is noticed.  Do not hide yourself for your own good”.
The state health medical expert further urged medical doctors, health workers and the general populace to practice “Barrier nursing”, the act of wearing hand gloves in their day to day activities and chores as well as hand washing to help avoid the contraction of the diseases.
Nriah further disclosed that the state government was doing everything within its powers to ensuring that the state is free of the disease saying “on the sensitization, we have covered most churches and mosques.  We are into media sensitization and state ministries sensitization.  So far, there is no more death and suspected cases samples have been taken and results of test to be out.

Lady Godknows Ogbulu

L-R:Minister of Health, Prof Isaac Adewole, Director, Health Planning, Research and Statistics, Dr Ngozi Azodoh, and Permanent Secretary, Dr Amina Shamaki, at an Emergency National Council of Health meeting on Lassa Fever outbreak in Abuja, yesterday.