By ARMSTRONG ALLAHMAGANI, Bauchi –
The Bauchi State Primary Health Care Development Agency, has disclosed that 19 people have died of Lassa fever in the state from January to November, 2020.
The Executive Chairman, of the Agency, Dr. Rilwan Mohammed, stated this at a press conference in Bauchi on Wednesday.
He said that the number of deaths recorded in the state are the highest in the country.
According to him, Bauchi state has 22 confirmed positive cases of yellow fever in Ganjuwa LGA out of the 63 samples tested out of which 10 deaths occurred this year.
Mohammed said that the lassa fever is only in two Local Government Areas of Toro and Tafawa Balewa.
He however said that the state has received four million doses of yellow fever vaccine from the federal government saying that vaccination will be conducted in January 2021 with the target population of ages one to 44 who are most vulnerable.
The Executive Chairman explained that efforts are on top gear to ensure that the yellow fever outbreak did not spread to other LGAs in the state as well as neighboring states of Kano and Jigawa.
He added that the vaccination for yellow fever will be conducted in 19 LGAs in the state with the exception of Alkaleri which had its vaccination in 2019 due to the outbreak there.
Mohammed however lamented that the Agency is worried because of the apathy being exhibited by people who are refusing to be vaccinated in spite of the education and enlightenment programs embarked upon by the Agency saying, “we have radio, television and other messages, yet the people are not responding”.
He assured that the Agency will not relent in the public enlightenment program until the aim of vaccination against the spread of the disease was achieved.
A modern isolation camp is been constructed in the state, he said, adding that it will be used for the treatment of all those infected saying that for now, General hospitals in Kafin Madaki and Ningi are being used while serous cases are referred to Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH) for proper treatment.
He then appealed to people to imbibe the culture of hygienic living by keeping their environment clean in order to reducing the breeding of mosquitoes that are the main vectors of the disease.
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