Plateau Ministry Of Health Declares State Of Emergency On Lassa Fever -Perm Sec

Yakubu Busari

At least no fewer than one suspected incident of Lassa fever outbreak has been reported in Plateau state with one death suspected of contacting the disease earlier report revealed.

The Permanent Secretary  Ministry of Health Pharm.Gwatau Habila Abel has said Plateau state government had  declare  state of emergency response team to embark on massive  screening of people to prevent the rising outbreak of  epidemics rural areas .

Pharm Abel made this disclosure in an interview with our correspondent at Joseph Gwomwalk Secretariat in Jos.

He said Plateau state is working in conjunction with federal government engage a team health personnel to educate the people in the 17 local government as the team kick-start with  Langtang LGA.

According to him, Plateau state government had increase its sensitization and awareness campaign on danger of prevailing scourge of Lassa fever epidemic with one suspected case undergoing screening in Lagos laboratory.

He explained further that the ministry of health has written to government to supply them  or procure more drugs to contain with the outbreak of  diseases in the state.

Pharm Abel emphasized that the government are on top of Lassa fever outbreak were a patient was suspected to have contacted the symptoms and later died in the hospital of which her corpse had been under diagnosis to identify the immediate causes before going to pronounce it to the public.

“We have recorded one case and the person was transported to federal medical centre, were the different treatment is going to know main cause of the disease “, he added.

Pharm Abel advised the general public to be careful during this hot season because we expecting outbreak CSM and government of Plateau state is creating sensitization awareness campaign on jingles  on preventive measure for people avoid over crowded room by opening their windows while sleeping in the night.