4 Killed As Benue Records 36 Lassa Fever Cases

Four out of the 36 suspected Lassa fever cases in Benue State from 3 Local Government areas of Ukum, Okpokwu and Makurdi died of complications.

The State Epidemiologist, Dr Asema Msuega, who disclosed this to our correspondent, said the three deaths were from suspected cases, while one of the deaths was from a confirmed case of Lassa fever

According to him, all the  36 suspected cases were supposed to be at the isolation units at the  Benue State University Teaching Hospital ( BSUTH)l  until their blood sample were out but were  turned back to their homes because of a lack of money to get a bed space at the isolation unit

When asked whether those suspected cases were supposed to pay money for their treatment, including bed space, the State epidemiologists said no government is supposed to take care of everything concerning their treatment. They wondered why the Chief Medical Director of BSUTH, Stephen Hwande, would insist that patients suspected of Lassa fever and referred to an isolation unit pay N50,000 before admission.

When contacted through a telephone conversation, the head of the communication unit at BSUTH, Moses Tsedzughul, who spoke on behalf of the CMD, alleged that the State Ministry of Health and Human Services received over N200,000 million  for the treatment of Lassa fever and did not remit the percentage they supposed to give to BSUTH to facilitate the treatment of Lassa fever patients that is why the CMD is insisting on the N50,000 payment before admission into the isolation unit.

In another development, our correspondent gathered that from November 2024 to date, which is the peak of the Lassa fever outbreak, there has been an epileptic diagnosis of Lassa fever because the State Molecular Laboratory, which was optimised by the National Centre For Disease Control (NCDC) is only functioning when the management of FMC on its generator for use as the Solar light which was installed to give 24 hours power supply for diagnosis of viral diseases like Lassa fever which usually takes 6 to 7 hours is not functioning again.

Our correspondent also gathered that the Federal Medical Centre Makurdi CMD had asked the management not to use the hospital generator to diagnose Lassa Fever because the project was not bringing any revenue to the hospital.

But in a swift reaction, the CMD of FMC, Prof Joseph Kortor, debunked the insinuation, saying that since he came on board, the hospital generator has always been on to ensure that all diagnoses, especially those for viral diseases, which usually take a longer time, are done.

Prof Kortor, who spoke through his assistant, Philip Tarkumbur, said that the information about refusing to use the generator for diagnosis might be from the previous administrations, not his time.

When asked what the ministry is doing with the monies sent to the State by NCDC to help manage viral disease outbreaks, Dr Asema, who did not mention the amount, said they got support from the World Bank, but it was not meant to be shared with BSUT.

According to him “The money we received was to support the activities of the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC)”

The investigation also revealed that the NCDC rejected blood samples from Benue throughout the peak of Lassa fever despite having invested enough in the State to stand on it and even serve the North Central States and beyond.

It was also gathered that most NCDC staff sent into the state are withdrawn alongside the uncharged persons from blood sample collection.

When contacted through a telephone conversation, the commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr Yanmar Ortese, who confirmed the withdrawal of NCDC from Benue, including the rejection of blood samples, said yes, the NCDC have withdrawn their services because they have invested enough in the State through the optimising of the Molecular lab at the FMC and if this is done there is no basis for the State to take blood samples to them because the distance alone

The commissioner said he is working to ensure that another Molecular Lab is also optimised at BSUTH so that all the diagnoses will be made within the State to avoid the death of patients while waiting for confirmation from Abuja.

Our correspondent spoke to some of the citizens, including Isaac Mhen, Liambee Ortese, and Ocheme Ogbe, on the dangers of sending home patients suspected of having Lassa fever and called on the Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia to wade in and save the State on this alarming danger of disease outbreak.