The Bauchi State Surveillance Support Officer, Dr. Suleiman Lawal, has disclosed that no fewer than 16 people have died of lassa fever disease in Bauchi state this year.
Speaking in an interview with newsmen in Bauchi today at the lassa fever camp in Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital, Dr. Suleiman said that a total of 43 confirmed cases were recorded in the state since January, 2020.
“Bauchi state has recorded 43 confirmed cases of lassa fever but two out of this number were brought in from Plateau State. Among these confirmed cases, 16 deaths were recorded this year.
He also said that “There are also three people that have died of probable cases. They are called ‘probable cases’ because we couldn’t take their samples before they died.
“Totally, we have seven health workers that were affected. One of the doctors who was pregnant and had the disease, we managed her and discharged her. Four others are currently on admission, we’ve been managing them. They are now stable, in fact, we will discharge two of them today because they have finished their 10 day treatment period.
” Two doctors died, one was a doctor that died here (at the ATBUTH) while the other one died in a private clinic here in Bauchi.
“Most of the deaths are as a result of late reporting and that is not our fault, something will happen and people will not report on time so we are appealing to people to always come on time,” he advised.
DAILY POST further gathered that the state has received assistance from the World Health Organization and the United Nations Children Endowment Fund (UNICEF) in its efforts to reduce the scourge of the disease to the barest minimum even as he appealed to well-meaning members of the public to support in the fight against lassa fever.
Lawal said that there are seven pillars that will help in managing the epidemic which he said are: education, communication, risk communication, surveillance, case management, laboratory confirmation and prevention and control.
While he pointed out that communication is key in managing the epidemic.
