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Rivers Dismisses FG’s Claim On Lassa Fever

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8 years ago

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The Rivers State Government has dismissed claims by the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, Rivers State is amongst the current outbreak of Lassa fever has affected 15 states with 105 laboratory confirmed cases, three probable cases and 31 deaths.
Adewole said this at the emergency National Council of Health meeting in Abuja, last Monday.
He said that already, this year, Nigeria had recorded 77 cases of Lassa fever.
According to him, the cases are in Bauchi, Plateau, Taraba, Nasarawa, Benue, Kogi, Ebonyi, Rivers, Imo, Anambra, Edo, Delta, Ondo, Osun and Lagos states.
But in a swift reaction, yesterday, the Rivers State Ministry of Health dismissed the inclusion of the state as one of those with recorded cases, as false and a misrepresentation of facts.
Officials of the state Ministry of Health told The Tide in a telephone interview, yesterday, that there were no reported case(s) of Lassa fever in the state this year.
However, the minister said 10 health care workers were affected in four states; seven in Ebonyi State; with one health worker each from Nasarawa , Kogi and Benue states.
Adewole said of the 31 deaths from Lassa fever outbreak, four health workers died as a result of the disease; three deaths were recorded in Ebonyi and one in Kogi.
The minister said the meeting was, therefore, summoned to discuss the state of public health challenges in the country with focus on some of the challenges that had bedevilled the nation in the past few weeks.
Adewole added that Lassa fever had been a recurrent outbreak in the country, stressing that Nigeria has battled with a series of outbreaks in the past few months.
According to the minister, Nigeria dealt with Ebola in 2014; the country reacted strongly and the response was acknowledged by the international community.
“The success against Ebola created a situation whereby every other public health challenge in Nigeria is to be seen to be a tea party. Therefore, assume that Lassa fever and other challenges would be likened to malaria, that they were not serious,’’ he said.
The minister said Nigeria had also dealt with the resurgence of polio, adding that the issuance of recertification would be tougher than it was before.
“The international community will not come to Nigeria’s rescue or certify the country polio-free until everyone is sure that Nigeria is polio-free, and that is another health challenge,’’ Adewole stated.
The minister said the country had dealt with persistent cases of measles across the country despite available vaccines, adding that the government had already commenced a nationwide campaign against measles.
He lamented that many states had yet to pay counterpart funds for the measles campaign.
Adewole said in 2017, Nigeria had to contend with the outbreak of cholera in Kwara, Lagos, Kano and Borno states, adding that the disease was preventable with the availability of water and good hygiene.
The minister said the first confirmed case of yellow fever happened in 2017, 17 years after the last case in the country.
He added, “We have also commenced a nationwide immunisation against yellow fever that will take about seven years to complete due to non-availability of vaccines and large number of people to vaccinate.
“We have already taken delivery of 25million doses of vaccines; with these, we should be able to go far but not far enough.
“We are already talking to stakeholders and international partners to shorten the campaign to five years.’’
Adewole said Nigeria had to deal with cases of monkey pox, stressing that it caused a lot of anxiety in the country, which led to the death of three people.
He added that the cases were prevalent in the South-South with Bayelsa, Rivers and Cross River states as the focal point of the disease.
The minister said the government was able to build diagnostic capacity to diagnose monkey pox in the country.
Besides, Adewole said Nigeria dealt with meningitis in 2017, adding that the problem of meningitis was poor notification and inability to make diagnosis on time.
He said Lassa fever had been persistent in the country over the past 30 years.

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Niger Delta

850-bed UCTH overstretched, services 5m patients – CMD

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1 week ago

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May 18, 2026

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The Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH), Prof. Ikpeme Ikpeme, has said the 850-bed hospital is overstretched, as it currently serves over five million patients.
He disclosed this on Friday during a media tour of the facility to showcase ongoing renovations and facelift in the hospital.
The CMD noted that, aside being the only tertiary healthcare facility servicing the state, UCTH also serviced neighbouring states of Akwa Ibom and Ebonyi.
He said the hospital also received referrals from neighbouring countries, including Cameroon, Equatorial Guinea and Central African Republic.
According to him, the 850-bed hospital faced persistent space constraints because of increasing patients inflow and expanding healthcare demands.
“This hospital currently operates 62 clinical and non-clinical departments as well as  between 30 and 38 wards covering medical, surgical, paediatric, orthopaedic and specialised services.
“Most wards have undergone facelift, remodelling, or complete renovation to improve patient care and working conditions for healthcare professionals”, he said.
He disclosed that the hospital was constructing a new 106-bed emergency medicine facility to address the rising demand for healthcare services.
According to him, the facility will include trauma bays, intensive care units, neonatal wards, and three fully equipped trauma theatres.
Speaking on the remodeled wards, Ikpeme explained that they followed modern nursing principles, allowing one nurse to attend to a maximum of 10 patients.
He said relatives would be restricted to designated waiting areas to reduce interference with medical procedures and improve emergency response efficiency.
The CMD noted that the hospital had strengthened specialist services in orthopaedics, neurosurgery, obstetrics, radiology, and minimally invasive surgery.
“UCTH now performs hip and knee replacements, arthroscopy, sports medicine, and complex brain tumour surgeries.
“Our surgeons also conduct keyhole procedures for appendectomy, hysterectomy and other conditions with faster patient recovery periods,” he said
In power, the CMD said the hospital relied on solar power from a seven-megawatt plant, constructed by the Federal Government at the University of Calabar, as well as public power supply, and generators to sustain its operations.
He appealed to governments, organisations, and philanthropists to support infrastructure expansion, equipment procurement, and specialised healthcare projects.
The CMD said the hospital required additional incubators, ward expansions, and a stand-alone amenity facility for private healthcare services.
He used the opportunity to dismiss allegations of ethnic discrimination, insisting that the hospital does not reject workers or patients based on tribe or origin.
According to him, the institution recently honoured an Igbo pioneer physician by naming a ward after him in recognition of decades of service.
The CMD said the hospital maintained strict disciplinary procedures to address negligence, poor attitude, and unethical conduct among staff.
The Tide’s source reports that some of the units visited include, intensive care unit, Department of Radiology, Urology Clinic, and Opthalmology Clinic.
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Niger Delta

Police Burst Child Trafficking Syndicate In A’Ibom … Nab 3 Suspects

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1 week ago

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May 18, 2026

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The Police Command in Akwa Ibom State says it has busted a child trafficking syndicate and arrested three suspects for conspiracy and unlawful sale of a newborn baby in the State.
The State’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Timfom John, who disclosed this in a statement in Uyo on Friday, said the three female suspects were arrested on Wednesday at about 1900hrs.
She said a complainant reported that his wife gave birth to a baby boy on May 7 and shockingly, shortly after delivery sold the newborn child to one of the suspects for N145, 000.
“Upon receipt of the report, operatives immediately swung into action, leading to the arrest of the suspects and the successful recovery of the baby boy.
“The suspects reportedly confessed to the crime during interrogation, while investigation has been expanded to identify and apprehend all individuals connected to the trafficking syndicate”, John said.
She said the State’s Commissioner of Police, Baba Azare, reiterated the Command’s commitment to sustaining aggressive intelligence-led policing in the state.
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Niger Delta

A’Ibom Launches Operation Crack Down Scrap Dealers 

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1 week ago

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May 18, 2026

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The Akwa-Ibom State Government has launched a statewide crackdown on unregistered scrap dealers and scavengers, shutting down illegal operations and arresting operators accused of violating environmental and public safety regulations.
The enforcement operation, led by the Akwa Ibom State Environmental Protection and Waste Management Agency (AKSEPWMA), followed the implementation of the state’s Waste Metal Scrap Law 2026, officials said.
AKSEPWMA Chairman, Obong Prince Ikim, said the exercise was aimed at regulating the scrap sector, protect the environment, and prevent criminal groups from operating under the guise of waste collection and metal trading.
“If you want to do scrap business, you must register,” Mr. Ikim said during the operation in Uyo, the state capital.
“Many people now hide under scrap trading to perpetrate nefarious activities”, he said.
According to him, dump site operators and scrap dealers who failed to register with the government risked closure and prosecution.
Authorities accused some operators of involvement in vandalism of public infrastructure and indiscriminate waste disposal, adding that investigations had uncovered criminal activities linked to several dump sites across the state.
“Some people vandalise government facilities in the name of scrap business and encourage indiscriminate dumping of refuse,” Mr. Ikim said.
He added that the state government and security agencies would continue efforts to enforce compliance and maintain public order.
“The Commissioner of Police has zero tolerance for criminality, and the Governor wants Akwa Ibom people to sleep with their eyes closed. We will fish out every defaulter”, he said.
Police officials involved in the operation said investigations showed that some criminal suspects used scrap yards and refuse dump sites as cover for illegal activities.
CSP Okwuzulike Vincent of the Itam Police Station said some suspects pretended to be mentally unstable while hiding ammunition and other suspicious items in makeshift shelters around dump locations.
The police officer praised the environmental agency for what he described as proactive efforts to sanitise the sector and pledged continued cooperation between law enforcement and the agency.
Officials said some first-time offenders arrested during the operation were released after profiling and signing undertakings, while repeat offenders would face prosecution.
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