Ogun declares two hospitals free of Lassa fever

…Government fumigates, decontaminates against deadly disease

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NIGERIA: TO boost the confidence of patients and the people, Ogun State government has fumigated and decontaminated the two hospitals where patients of Lassa fever were discovered and given initial treatments.

Following the cleansing, government said that the hospitals have been declared safe to provide health care services to the people, the Health Commissioner, Dr. Babatunde Ipaye, disclosed this on Sunday.

According to him, the cleansing was carried out at Central Specialist Hospital and Rubee Medical Center in Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area of the state.

The commissioner stated that the measure became pertinent in order to disabuse the minds of the public from

stigmatizing the two hospitals and their staff.

Ipaye, who paid visit to the hospitals, maintained that the fumigating and decontamination of the medical institutions was in line with World Health Organization (WHO) standard.

He expressed appreciation to the medical heads of the two hospitals for managing the situation and putting the deadly disease under control.

According to him, had the two hospitals not embark on the pro-active steps by promptly informing the Health Ministry, the Lassa fever issue would have been out of control, and put lives of many residents at risk.

Ipaye said: “I want to call on the general public to continue patronizing the Central Specialist Hospital and the Rubee Medical Center Limited as they have been fully certified to admit patients and provide good health care to the good people of Ogun State.

“What they have done was in the spirit of patriotism for the State and in general Nigeria as a whole,” the commissioner said.

The Medical Director of Central Specialist Hospital, Dr. Akin Olusunmade, who expressed appreciation to the Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, stated that his hospital would continue to give quality healthcare services at all times.

Olusunmade, however, pleaded with the government to ensure the training and re-training of private medical practitioners in the state to ensure good service delivery.

He urged the government to compensate the hospital for the period it was closed down.
Similarly, the Medical Director of Rubee Medical Center Limited, Dr. Mushraq Ahmedkhan, expressed appreciation on the pro-active measures taken by the government to put the issue under control.

Ahmedkhan said: “After a week-long decontamination, I want to appreciate the State Governor for the quick response and for certifying the facility for the public use, we promise to always provide good and qualitative health care services to the people of the state.”
Meanwhile, the Chairman, Association of General Medical Practitioners of Nigeria, Anthony Dike, urged government to create isolation centers in the three senatorial districts to further enhance quick response to epidemic diseases, while also supporting the need for compensation for the two hospitals.

• By Temitope Odupitan