Lassa Fever: What Nigerians Are Advised To Know

January 12, 2016

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I. What Federal Ministry of Health is doing:
• The Ministry has procured and distributed additional Ribavirin for immediate treatment purposes and creation of strategic stock for future possible cases.
• “All health facilities in the country are hereby directed to emphasize routine infection prevention and control measures,
• The Ministry has directed that all patients are treated free.”
II. What Family members and Health care givers should note:
• The Minister of Health said that family members and health care workers are advised to always be careful and avoid contact with blood and body fluids while caring for sick persons with symptoms similar to those listed for Lassa
fever and any such patients should be taken to nearest health facility.
III. What the general public should note:
• The general public should avoid contact with rodents/rats as well as food/objects contaminated with rats’ secretions/excretions.
• “Avoid drying food in the open and along the roadside.
• It is important to cover all food to prevent rodents’ contamination; all suspected cases should be reported immediately to enable early treatment,” Prof. Adewole, the Minister of Health said.