NEWS
Panic in Ebonyi as lassa fever kills 2 resident doctors
Two resident doctors serving at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakiliki, FETHA, Ebonyi State have died of lassa fever.
They both died on Sunday throwing other health workers in the hospital into panic.
This is also as two house officers, who joined in treating the contact patient, as well as nurses are on watch list.
The deceased include Abel Sunday Udo, who was a Resident Doctor in the Department of Otorhinolayngology, FETHA, and Dr Ali Felix, a Resident Doctor in the Department of Community Medicine, of the same hospital.
The death was confirmed in a terse statement by the National Association of Resident Doctors, NARD, which was obtained by DAILY POST.
The statement was signed by NARD secretary, Dr. O.V Nnadi.
It read: “The President of NARD Dr Ugochukwu Chinaka and the whole NARD NEC commiserate with the President and congressmen of ARD.FETHA on the sudden loss of another of our Colleague, Dr Abel Sunday Udo, a Resident Doctor in the Department of Otorhinolayngology, FETHA, and Dr Ali Felix, a Resident Doctor in the Department of Community Medicine,FETHA.
On the part of Udo, the statement said “he died about 4hrs ago after a tonsillectomy on a lassa fever patient.
“The House Officer and the nurse that joined him in the surgery are presently on their way to Irrua Specialist Hospital, Irrua.”
Ali, the NARD spokesman said “died in the early hours of this morning at Irrua Specialist Hospital, Irrua where he was being managed for complications from Lassa fever.
“We pray God gives you and the immediate families they left behind the fortitude to bear these irreparable loss and may their soul rest in peace. Amen!”
When DAILY POST contacted NARD National President, Dr. Chinaka Ugochukwu he confirmed the deaths.
“Yes, there are reports to that effect”, he said.
