As a way of curtailing Lassa fever virus currently ravaging parts of the country, the Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital (ISTH), Irrua-Edo State, Dr. Sylvanus Okogbenin has called for higher index suspicion among health workers.
The CMD made the call in Irrua, Esan Central Local Government Area, at a workshop organized by ISTH for health workers in Edo State and community members, to raise awareness and index suspicion towards Lassa fever.
Okogbenin who also advocated early referral, lamented that majority of the patients lost to Lassa fever were those brought to the hospital when their vital organs were already failing.
“Majority of patients who we lost to Lassa usually die less than 24 hours after they are brought to the hospital. That shows that the diseases is already advanced and a lot of damages have already been done to the organs. Salvaging such individuals is usually difficult.
“the health workers that patients first report to must have high suspicion index. When you are treating malaria or typhoid and the patients is not responding you should quickly refer or send the patient’s blood sample for Lassa test”, he advised.
He disclosed that the workshop was geared towards equipping the health workers with special information about Lassa fever, as a result of the rapid outbreak of the disease in the country.
The director of the Institute of Lassa Fever Research and Control, ISTH Dr. Danny Asogun blamed the spread of lassa fever on ignorance, as according to him, most people stay back at home with the virus.
He advised the public to take heed of common measures against Lassa fever, adding that “all holes should be blocked to prevent rats from gaining access into the homes”.
