Lassa fever: Normalcy returns to LUTH, as Health Council meets

Despite the confirmation of a Lassa fever patient isolated at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba, Lagos, both medical and business activities are still on in the complex.
Our correspondent who visited the hospital observed that patients were trooping in and out, while people patronised the business stands within.
A medical doctor at the hospital who spoke under anonymity said, “though the scare is there, patients are coming to the hospital for medical care and they are being attended to.”
Speaking on the isolated patient at the hospital, another medical expert who would not want his name mentioned said that, “the patient is stable and doing fine. The good thing about this is that, once it is detected early, the anti-viral drug – ribavirin – can help in throwing back Lassa fever.”

A woman, Mrs. Abbey Otun said, “I took my brother to the Accident and Emergency Unit and he’s been attended to. I’m not scared of the fever, because it’s not new and I know the government and the hospital are doing everything to put everything under control.”

Earlier, the Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee (CMAC), Dr. Olufemi Fasanmade, said, there is no need to panic as “containment area is being devised, ribavirin available, and our trained staff are on ground.”
Speaking on Saturday at the Alausa Secretariat, on the first case of the disease recorded in Lagos State, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris, said that in line with international standards, 92 persons who had direct and indirect contact with the index case were currently being followed-up, as the government was doing everything possible to curtail the spread of the virus.

Meanwhile, an emergency National Council on Health is expected to today to deliberate on the latest outbreak of Lassa fever in the country.

Health commissioners from the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) – including Medical Directors of all federal hospitals, will meet with the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole in Abuja.
The Council will also inaugurate a National Lassa Fever Action Committee to help co-ordinate response to the crisis. More than 40 persons have been killed in the12 states hit by the deadly disease.