Lassa Fever: Federal Govt Has Abandoned Our People – Edo Govt

Edo State government has cried out over neglect by the federal government on the recent outbreak of Lassa fever in about three local government areas and has therefore appealed to the international donor agencies and groups to come to its aid.

Addressing a press conference after the first weekly State Executive Council meeting of the year, the commissioner for communication and orientation, Chris Nehikhare flanked by the special adviser to Governor Obaseki on Media Projects, Crusoe Osagie, also said the two kidnapped victims still with kidnappers in the Igueben train station attack that happened two weeks ago have been rescued revealing that seven people have been arrested in connection with the incident including two village chiefs.

Nehikhare also announced a deadline for all those involved in sound making activities especially those close to schools and residential areas to install sound proof systems in their facilities.

He said, “The state government has tried everything within its powers to check this Lassa fever outbreak. We have reached out to the federal government but to all intents and purposes, the federal government has abandoned the Edo State government and its people in this issue. As of today, we have over 50 people infected with this disease in Edo and we have a five percent case fertility rate which is very high even compared to COVID-19.

“With all please and entreaties to the federal government in this challenging issue, they apparently just fell on deaf ears and this particularly is disheartening especially as the current Minister of Health is from Edo state.

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   “Haven hit a brick wall, we are constrained to reach out to international intervention agencies such as the WHO, UNICEF and any other international organization that have the mandate to intervene in infectious diseases outbreak.

“As a government, we have written several letters to the Ministry of Health to the Centre for Disease Control, to all the people involved in health issues to come and intervene and join the state to fight this outbreak but unfortunately they have abandoned us.

 “We want the international agencies to intervene quickly before the situation gets worse. We have reached out to some of these agencies and we thank them for the efforts they are providing right now,” he said.

 On the train attack saga in Igueben, he said, “We are pleased to announce that the last two victims have been rescued and seven suspects are in custody including two village chiefs. We thank the press for the support they have given in the last few weeks.”