Lassa Fever: No Outbreak In Rivers – Commissioner

Sequel to yet another outbreak of Lassa fever in some parts of the nation, the Rivers State Government has reassured residents of the state that it is on red alert with all machineries in motion to prevent and or tackle the epidemic in the state.
The Commissioner for Health, Prof Princewill Chike revealed this during a media briefing in his office in Port Harcourt, Wednesday.
Chike who noted that there was no-outbreak of the disease in the state said however that the state has reactivated its Rapid Response Team for swift response in case of any emergency.
While noting the outbreak in the neighbouring State of Ebonyi with the deaths of two medical doctors and a nurse, Chike said the state government and the Ministry of Health were proactive in handling and combating the disease, urging the people of the state to stay calm.
Chike said “we have commenced mass re-sensitisation and awareness campaigns for the public. The Rapid Response Team is on the alert and all treatment centres, Primary Health Centres, and health workers have all been alerted”.
He continued, “we have jingles running in different languages of Khana, Ikwerre, Obolo, pidgin, Ekpeye, English, Kalabari among others and we have also mobilised fliers all in a bid to keep the public on the alert of the disease”.
The commissioner disclosed that the State Infections Disease Isolation and Treatment Centre was fully functional and would remain open with a call on all service centres to maintain simple triage systems with barrier nursing for all patients including the use of gloves, face masks sanitisers as well as infra-red temperature scans of health facilities.
Chike assured that the ministry has sufficient quantities of commodities and drugs for therapautic and preventive interventions in the case of any challenge.
He urged the public to promote and improve on community hygiene to prevent rodents from entering the homes, store grains and other food stuffs in rodent proof containers, dispose garbage far away from homes, avoid contact with blood and body fluids while caring for sick persons and maintain handwashig attitude to reduce contact and spread of the disease, saying “prevention is better than cure”.

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