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Benue State Ministry of Health and Human Services have begun surveillance on those who had contact with a 54 year old woman who recently died of confirmed lassa fever in the state. Consequently, some residents of Ogbadibo and neighbouring Okpokwu Local Government Areas in the state were said to be in panic. The Nigerian Tribune learnt that the deceased woman from Ogbadibo LGA had died on Sunday at the Benue State University Teaching Hospital, Makurdi, where laboratory analysis confirmed Lassa fever. Her remains were reported to have been taken to a private morgue in Ugbokolo, Okpokwu LGA and during the burial, youths in her community in Ogbadibo were reported to have forcefully taken the bodies away. The State Commissioner of Health and Human Services, Dr Paul Ogwuche who confirmed this to newsmen on Thursday, said that he had led a high-powered delegation of health officials and security operatives to the two LGAs. According to Dr. Ogwuche, the team moved to ensure public safety, containment, and restoration of order after reports indicated that the corpse of a Lassa fever victim was forcefully taken away by community youths. He said, “During initial response efforts, the Ministry’s Rapid Response Team was confronted by some agitated youths while trying to conduct a safe burial. “Through intensive dialogue with the family, traditional rulers, and youth leaders, the body was successfully retrieved and safely buried in Orokam (Ogbadibo LGA) by the State Safe Burial Team, in line with WHO and NCDC protocols,” the commissioner said. Dr Ogwuche added that he had directed the closure of the private hospital and mortuary where the corpse had been kept, pending full decontamination, disinfection, and epidemiological investigation. He further directed that all hospital staff and close contacts be placed under surveillance to ensure no secondary infection occurs. The commissioner said, “all community and facility contacts have been identified, and health education sessions have been carried out across Ogbadibo and Okpokwu LGAs to enhance awareness, promote hygiene, and prevent panic”, adding, ‘public health safety is our top priority.” While commending the cooperation of the local government chairmen, traditional rulers and security operatives, Dr Ogwuche said that government would not allow any act that endangers the lives of its citizens. The commissioner however appealed to residents of the state to avoid handling corpses of persons who die from suspected infectious diseases, and to report any prolonged fever or bleeding symptoms to the nearest health facility without delay.
