By Matthew Denis
The Kwara State Commissioner for Health, Mr. Usman Kolo Rifun has allayed fear of the public over the outbreak of Lassa Fever in the state.
In a telephone chat with Pilot Health at the weekend, the Commissioner said the state government has taken proactive measures at containing the situation
According to him,” The state government is monitoring activities surrounding the outbreak since the visit few weeks ago and the situation is fully under control.”
The commissioner noted that Lassa Fever cases were identified in a farm settlement in Taberu, Baruten Local Government Area recently.
He disclosed that a couple who are farmers and natives of Benin Republic, which shares a border with the state, were affected.
“These cases of Lassa Fever originated from Benin Republic, whose citizen have inter-relations with people in Baruten area,” he said.
According to him, the husband and wife were diagnosed in a health facility, and that the state government had already deployed disease surveillance team to identify those who have been in contact with the patients.
Rifun-Kolo further explained that the surveillance team identified four people with history of the fever in the area.
He said that the four cases raised suspicion of Lassa fever, which prompted them to take samples from the individuals for further investigation.
He noted that the four individuals have commenced treatment in Taberu.
The commissioner also disclosed that an outbreak of Derived Polio Virus in a Fulani Camp in Kiiparu District of Okuta Ward in Baruten LGA has been confirmed.
He noted that the victim was a two years old girl with a symptom of Acute Flaccid Paralysis, adding that the World Health Organisation confirmed the case.
He, however, stated that the victim died of the disease and that contact case was carried out by the government to collect samples from other children in the Fulani settlement.
The commissioner disclosed that the settlers proved difficult and uncooperative and that it took the intervention of the Emir of Okuta to persuade the Fulani settlers on the need to take samples from their children.
He added that the governor has already approved a budget to commence measures to curb the outbreak of these diseases.
“We will commence immunisation of children in Baruten and other neighbouring communities,” he said.
Rifun-Kolo also disclosed that a Yellow Fever case has also been confirmed in Agunji in Ifelodun Local Government Area of Kwara.
He noted that the state Ministry of Health is already in touch with the traditional leaders to brief them on the outbreak of the disease.
The commissioner added that samples have also been taken from residents to confirm if they had earlier taken the Yellow Fever immunisation that took place in 2018.
“The results showed only 25 percent of people in that community were vaccinated for Yellow Fever,” said the Commissioner.
He pointed out that the patient is responding to treatment, though not fully recovered, and that health workers will commence vaccination exercise while urging people to comply with the exercise.
