By Lucky Isibor
The World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) are collaborating with the Edo State Government to bring to an end the Lassa Fever outbreak in the country.
They commended the Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, for the state government’s purposeful and strategic response to the current Lassa Fever outbreak in the country.
Coordinator, Lassa Fever Outbreak Response Team in Nigeria, Dr. Emmanuel Musa, relayed the commendations when he led the surveillance team from the WHO and NCDC on a courtesy visit to the governor at the Government House in Benin City, Edo State and said that his team will be stationed in the state to tackle the disease.
In his remarks, Governor Obaseki expressed appreciation to the WHO and NCDC teams for supporting the state’s effort to contain and control the spread of Lassa Fever disease in the state.
He said the outbreak threatens the wellbeing of people in the state, a situation he will not tolerate, noting, “My administration takes public health and wellbeing of people in the state seriously. This accounts for the speedy response of the government in mobilising resources to control the spread of the disease.”
According to Obaseki, “With the team of experts deployed to the state by WHO, we should be able to get things right. There is need for us to be proactive and not always wait for the outbreak before responding.”
Musa said, “The prompt response of the state government led by Governor Obaseki in containing the outbreak of Lassa Fever disease in the state is highly commendable. The approach adopted to halt the spread of the disease was strategic. We commend the state government for the facility set up to assist the Institute for Lassa Fever Control and Research at the Specialist Hospital, Irrua. This includes the Isolation Center and Emergency Operation Center.
He added, “The team of experts from the WHO and NCDC were the first six experts deployed to Edo State to complement the state government’s effort in controlling the spread of the disease. The team will work alongside the state government’s response team to halt the spread of the disease. This team is also ready to work with the team put in place by the government to curtail the spread as they have been in the state for about four weeks now.
“Other partners will be mobilise to Edo State to assist the state government contain the spread of Lassa Fever disease. The WHO is concerned and decided to mobilise experts to Nigeria to help out.”
