By Abooluwa Famakinwa, Akure
As a measure to fight Lassa to a standstill and prevent further outbreak, the Ondo State Primary Healthcare Development Board has donated medical materials to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Owo.
In his opening remark, The Executive Secretary, Dr. Francis Akanbiemu said to curtail the speed of Lassa in the state, the Governor in his magnanimity gave a matching order that the board should support FMC with certain logistics needed for case management.
Dr. Akanbiemu listed some interventions of government to ensure there are no new cases of Lassa fever and management of the cases on ground to include active surveillance and community engagement as these were discovered to be available weapons.
The Executive Secretary Pledged the commitment of the board to continue to support FMC Owo with logistics needed to forestall further embarrassment of Lassa in the state.
While officially presenting the Medical Materials to FMC, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Wahab Adegbenro who recalled the embarrassment caused the state by Lassa outbreak few months ago, thanked God and Development partners that the siege is now over.
Dr. Adegbenro thanked the Federal Medical Centre Owo, WHO, The Alliance for International Medical Action (ALIMA) Doctors without Borders, National Centre for Disease Control and other stakeholders for the roles played in helping to stem the tide of Lassa fever in the state.
He said the State Government did all humanly possible to see that the epidermic was fought to a stand still through: supply of Logistics to FMC, Active Surveillance which was actually commended from the National, plan to establish a Lassa diagnostics Lab at the FMC Owo, the commencement of the Infectious Disease Hospital Igbatoro road Akure which is now to be used as holding Centre among others.
The Health Commissioner added that the commitment of the government can be seen as its Agency, the Primary Healthcare Development Board is giving Medical Materials to the FMC while promising continued support for optimal performance of the hospital.
Promising to set machineries in motion to make sure there is no Lassa outbreak in the state again, the Health helmsman sought more cooperation from partners in this regard.
He itemised what the Primary Healthcare Board was giving as follows: Five hundred and sixty personal protective Equipment, five hundred Thermometers, one thousand surgical gloves, five hundred Hand gloves, eight hundred Sanitizers and sixty Hand wash.
In his comment the WHO State Coordinator, Dr. Akinola Fatiregun said WHO identities with the State Government and the Board in the support given FMC.
He highlighted some of the support given by WHO since the inception of the outbreak which are mainly technical, Social Mobilization and logistics while promising the continued support of his organization.
Dr. Fatiregun encouraged the state to be in charge of coordination so that all partners will be working to support the state.
The Director Disease Control of the Board Dr. Victor Adefesoye who narrated all that transpired said the spread came from the neighbouring Edo state and was contacted by the Border Ose local Government and five local government areas eventually had it.
He applauded the three tiers of government and partners for the timely intervention which brought Lassa outbreak to a standstill.
Responding, the incident Manager for the Lassa outbreak at the Federal Medical Centre Owo who received the items on behalf of the Chief Medical Director, commended the State Government for the quick response when there was distress call as the outbreak started.
He put the fatality rate at 12.5% which he said was very good and disclosed that there is any one case on admission, this he said was a success story.
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