The Delta Government has donated personal protective medical equipment to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Asaba, as part of efforts to curtail the scourge of Lassa fever in the state.
The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Nicholas Azinge, presented the items to the Chief Medical Director of the centre, Dr Victor Osiatuma, on behalf of the state government on Thursday in Asaba.
He stated that the kits would enable the medical personnel in the hospital to effectively fight the disease which recently re-emerged in the state.
The commissioner revealed that so far two confirmed cases had been recorded in the state and the victims receiving medical attention at the facility.
He said the first case of the disease brought to the FMC was a 43-year-old man resident in the state who was successfully treated and later referred to the Irrua Specialist Hospital in Edo.
Azinge further stated that family members of the man and the ambulance driver who conveyed him to the hospital are being closely monitored while other contact tracing are on-going.
He assured residents that relevant authorities are on top of the situation, assuring that there is no cause for alarm as the state had effectively handled the disease the last time it emerged.
According to the commissioner, all primary health care centres in the state have been activated and sensitised on how to respond to any suspected case of the disease.
He therefore advised the residents to report suspected cases of malaria and typhoid that are not responding to treatment to the nearest medical facility as early report of cases would help save lives.
Azinge disclosed that he was in contact with his counterpart in Anambra regarding the death of the second victim brought into Asaba.
He said the corpse would be handed over to his Anambra colleague to ensure proper burial of the corpse in order not to expose more persons to the disease.
Receiving the items, Osiatuma expressed gratitude to Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa for the gesture and assured of the effective use of the items.
The protective items included 250 pieces of disposable coat/suit, 500 pieces of Elbow Length Gloves, 50 packets of surgical hand gloves and 50 sets protective boots, among others.
On the death of the second victim of the disease in the hospital, Osiatuma revealed that the woman was brought in from Anambra last Sunday, but unfortunately died on the next day.
He said the hospital is strictly following the protocol of handling the corpse in order not to spread the disease as workers were following laid down procedure in handling such cases.
Osiatuma assured residents of the state on the ability of the hospital to handle the disease, saying with the donated items and training given to their personnel the disease would be effectively curbed.
