OGUN GOVERNMENT, FEDERAL MEDICAL CENTRE DENY DEATH OF LASSA FEVER PATIENT

The Ogun State Government has denied death of a 29 year old pregnant woman confirmed as a Lassa fever patient who was admitted into the Federal Medical Centre, Idi-Aba, Abeokuta, and the denial was also corroborated by the authorities of the Health Institution.

Penpushing reports that, the Commissioner of Health, Dr  Tomi Coker in a statement on Sunday said the suspected Lassa Fever case was confirmed by the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) Virology Laboratory on January 24 2020, and was referred to the Federal Medical Center (FMC), Abeokuta.

The Commissioner explained that contrary to some reports circulating in the media; “the patient is not dead as she was transferred to the Federal Specialist Hospital in Irua, Edo State, whose facilities provide the patient with the full benefit of multidisciplinary care required for her due to her pregnancy.”

Penpushing further reports that she stated that the Rapid Response Team has commenced line listing of all who have come into contact with the patient for surveillance purposes, including her relatives and hospital staff that managed the case.

The Commissioner  assured members of the public that the State Government acted proactively by putting all counter measures in place to contain the situation, urging  residents to maintain proper hygiene, and should avoid contact with rodents, pointing out that they should cover their food properly and ensure that their food is warmed before eating it.

“We have given thermometers to those who have been in contact with the patient to monitor their temperatures and also provided Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) at the designated treatment center at Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital (OOUTH), Sagamu’.

‘Our health educators and officers have been deployed into action and are educating the public on ways to avoid being infected with Lassa Fever.Other emerging or suspected cases of viral hemorrhagic fevers are to be isolated in the designated quarantine areas for barriers nursing, until definitive diagnosis is concluded’, she emphasised.

“The State Epidemiologist and DNSO should immediately be notified on telephone numbers  0818 897 8393 and 0818 897 8392   in case of any suspected case,”  Coker emphasised.

Penpushing also reports that, Head, Public Relations and Information of the Federal Medical Centre, FMC, Abeokuta , Segun Orisajo in a statement  debunked the news of the death, adding that, ‘the pregnant  woman who was claimed  to have died of Lassa fever , Mrs Titilayo Akinola,29 was indeed alive and has been transferred to the Federal  Specialist Hospital, Irua, Edo State for expert care due to her pregnant status’

The statement explained that the woman was about five days ago admitted into the ante-natal ward, while laboratory investigation later confirmed her to have tested positive to Lassa fever, adding that because of her condition, she has to be transferred to Federal Specialist, Irrua, a designated federal institution equipped for the management of such cases.

‘We hereby wish to state categorically that Mrs.  Titilayo is alive. The management of the centre under the able leadership of the Medical Director, Prof Adewale Musa-Olomu has therefore urged members of the public to disregard the purported death of Mrs Akinsola’

The statement added that, the Medical Director stated that the centre has commenced contact line tracing while panic control measures are also being activated, and urged the public to fully embrace the hand washing measure while other protocol for prevention and treatment are being implemented strictly at the centre