Ebonyi State governor Francis Nwifuru, said the state had recorded 394 suspected cases, 48 confirmed cases and 23 deaths from Lassa fever disease between January and December this year.
Governor Nwifuru made the disclosure during the official closure of MEDECINS SANS FRONTIERS, MSF (Doctors Without Borders) lassa fever project in Abakaliki and handover of supported activities to Ebonyi State Ministry of Health.
He stated that the records has also shown that this year alone, in 2024, Nigeria recorded over 4726 cases of Lassa fever with a very significant death rate, adding that in Ebonyi, out of the 48 confirmed cases and 23 Deaths, 25 patients were treated and discharged.
“In Ebonyi State we have recorded 394 suspected cases since January till date with 48 confirmed cases out of which 23 persons died of the disease while 25 were treated and discharged home.
“We give kudos to Doctors without borders for saving the lives of those who survived. The spread of this virus is believed to be facilitated by socio-cultural practice, poor health seeking behaviors, poor environmental sanitation, lack of awareness,” he said.
Governor Nwifuru said, “Since we came on board, we have always shown our uncommon zeal towards the healthcare of our people in all ramifications, with a common interest in threatening diseases like Lassa fever, cholera, and others.
“Our administration is committed to ensuring that every Ebonyi citizen enjoys basic, affordable, quality, and accessible healthcare through our numerous interventions, such as employing qualified personnel to work in our hospitals and procuring hospital equipment and consumables.”
He said that his administration has renovated 171 primary healthcare centers across the state and distributed motorcycles to various OICs of the primary healthcare centers to enable them to reach out.
“We have also provided ambulances to the general hospitals for emergency management, We have also restored the Ebonyi State Teaching Hospital among others,” he said.
He commended the humanitarian organization for being proactive and relentless and for its tremendous efforts in the state’s healthcare sector since its arrival in 2018. “I believe that sooner or later, the State will overcome and eliminate the dangers of Lassa fever in totality,” he added.
In his remarks, the MSF field Coordinator, Allen Godfrey, said that since 2018, MSF has supported over 1747 suspected cases and 430 positive cases with free medical treatment and feeding for patients and their relatives.
He said that the organization is committed to providing medical assistance to all people in need adding that their patients are always their priorities.
“We have contributed in reducing the number of healthcare workers affected by the lassa fever. We have partnered with the Alex Ekwueme Federal Teaching Hospital Abakaliki for care management, infection prevention and control,” he said.
