Re: Nigeria: Lassa Fever cases; 40 fatalities - According to health minister
Re: Nigeria: Lassa Fever cases; 40 fatalities - According to health minister
Source:
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/02/fg-inaugurates-lassa-fever-rapid-response-cttee/
FG inaugurates Lassa fever Rapid Response c’ttee
On February 24, 2012 · In News
2:14 am
BY VICTORIA OJEME
ABUJA — The Federal Government has inaugurated Lassa fever Rapid Response Committee to prevent and control further outbreak of the disease, which has infected 12 and killed about 40 people...
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/02/fg-inaugurates-lassa-fever-rapid-response-cttee/
FG Inaugurates Lassa fever Rapid Response Committee
Friday, 24 February 2012 10:11
The Federal government has inaugurated Lassa Fever Rapid Response Committee to prevent and control further outbreak of the disease, which has infected 12 and killed about 40 people.
The Committee which was inaugurated yesterday 22 February 2012,by the Hon.Minister of State for Health Dr. Muhammad Ali Pate is to be chaired by Prof. Sunday Aremu Omilabu of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH).
Lassa fever has affected12 states, with resultant morbidity and mortality. 397 cases have been recorded in Borno, Gombe, Yobe, Taraba, Plateau, Nassarawa, Ebonyi. Edo,Ondo, Rivers, Anambra and Lagos state, out of which 87 were confirmed, 40 deaths and 10.1 CFR Have been recorded as of 17th February, 2012.
The Minister said that the aim of the committee was to coordinate Federal and State Governments as well as Development Partners’ response in controlling further spread of the disease.
He said that Federal government was concern about the danger of Lassa fever in Nigeria, pointing out that the government has set up National Lassa fever stakeholder’s forum in 2007 to advocate for action against the disease.
“Government would continued to support the treatment of all reported Lassa fever cases with prompt preposition of ribaviring drugs and personal protective equipment. This year (2012)500,000 vials of the ribavirin drugs were procured and distributed to the affected States”.
“It is our resolve to do everything possible not only to control Lassa fever epidemic but to put in place mechanism for it effective prevention. It is in the light of this National Lassa Fever Rapid Response Committee is being inaugurated”, Dr Pate stated.
The Minister stated that the committee will provide technical expertise towards contailing the outbreak, come up with standard treatment protocol and guidelines for management of Lassa fever, develop Standard Operating Procedures on infection control in hospitals and mobilise resources for prevention and control of the disease.
The committee will also coordinate intervention activities on prevention and control of the disease.
“It is expected that this committee will come up with a sustainable framework for combating the scourge of Lassa fever to prevent lost of lives of general public and those of the health workers” the Minister added.
In his acceptance speech, the chairman of the committee Prof. Sunday Aremu Omilabu thanked the government for giving them the opportunity to serve in the committee.
He assured Nigerians in general that the committee will perform its duty diligently, adding that the Federal Ministry of Health should provide all the necessary support for the committee to deliver on its mandate.
The Committee which has 23 members with representative from Government Agencies and Development Partners has Dr. Henry Akpan from the Federal Ministry of Health as Secretary.
http://www.fmh.gov.ng/index.php/com...ugurates-lassa-fever-rapid-response-committee
