RE-EMERGENCE OF LASSA FEVER IN NIGERIA:OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE BY THE ASSOCIATION OF RESIDENT DOCTORS (ARD) FEDERAL MEDICAL CENTER LOKOJA 26/1/16.
The Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), Federal Medical Center, Lokoja is deeply worried by the reemergence of Lassa fever in Nigeria after the last outbreak in 2012 which claimed many lives. The Federal Ministry of Health has revealed that Lassa Fever has claimed 63 lives out of 212 suspected cases reported from 62 local government areas in affected states. So far, not less than 17 states have been affected over the last 8 weeks, including Bauchi, Niger, Taraba, Kano, Rivers, Oyo, Ondo, Edo, Plateau, Gombe, Nasarawa, Lagos, Delta, Ekiti, Ebonyi, Zamfara and our dear Kogi. That an ailment which originated in the country about 47 years could resurface, despite advancement in medicine, shows that Nigeria’s healthcare system is weak in disease prevention and control. The death rate attributed to Lassa fever is currently put at 43.2 per cent, a rate considered very high by all standards. Fact sheets released by the United States Centre for Disease Prevention and Co