FG sets to contain Lassa fever outbreak in Oyo State

ABUJA (Federal Ministry of Health Report) –

The Federal Ministry of Health has dispatched its emergency response team to contain the recent outbreak of Lassa fever in Oyo State,” the Minister of State and Supervising Minister for Health, Khaliru Alhassan (Dr) said this when he paid an unscheduled visit to some tertiary health facilities in Abuja.

Khaliru Alhassan explained that the visit was aimed at getting to know the different challenges faced by the hospitals, so as to enable firm tackling. Adding, this will boost the morale of health workers and possibly reposition the health sector for better service delivery. The Minister commended the management and staff of the National Hospital, Abuja for taking the welfare of patients seriously. He also reminded them to continue to sensitize the public against the Ebola Virus Disease by displaying relevant stickers around the hospital.

While speaking on the on-going strike by the National Union of Health Professionals, the Minister said that the strike action is a breach of negotiation on the part of the union, noting that discussion between the government and the union is still on and the strike action is uncalled for.

Speaking earlier, the Medical Director of the National Hospital, Jack Momoh (Dr) lamented the shortage of health personnel faced by the hospital.

In his response, the Minister of Health promised to mobilize additional health personnel to beef-up the workforce. The hospitals he visited were the National Hospital, Abuja, the Federal Staff Medical Centre, Jabi and the General Hospital, Maitama.