ONDO UPGRADES LABORATORY TO TEST FOR LASSA FEVER

To further combat the menace of Lassa and reduce the testing period, Ondo State Government has upgraded and equipped its Public Health laboratory to test for Lassa Fever in collaboration with the Institute of Human Virology (IHVN). The laboratory will now complement the testing centre at the Federal Medical Centre Owo.

Speaking at the handing over ceremony which took place at the Public Health Laboratory, Reference Hospital, Igbatoro Road, Akure, the Permanent Secretary, Dr Adeniran Ikuomola said as at today, Ondo State has recorded close to 400 suspected cases of lassa fever since its recent outbreak and over 100 cases.
Ikuomola while inspecting said the equipment would assist to strengthen the State’s public health laboratory to test for lassa fever and other infectious diseases. He expressed optimism that the State would be able to control lassa fever reasonably and have significant improvement in case management and case detecting.

“We have seen the equipment and it is a collaborative effort. They have been assisting in training of personnel. We have provided things to complement what they have provided. We have 400 suspected cases and confirmed 100. I would have loved to give you a specific number of deaths. We have recorded some deaths. These efforts are towards reducing fatality. For now we have only the Federal Medical Centre, Owo, to conduct testing".

State Coordinator for World Health Organization(WHO), Dr Dele David Sunday, said the organisation was happy to have the laboratory in Akure.
“It will help to reduce fatality. The ultimate prevention is to have timely and reduce the spread within the community. This is a breakthrough toward reducing the fatality of lassa fever in Ondo State. The laboratory here will help to identify cases of lassa fever on time. It will reduce the case of fatality.”

Representative of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) Dr. Yetunde Abioye, assured that the new laboratory would be made functional to be able to test for lassa fever especially in focus at the moment.
Epidemiologist and Surveillance Manager IHVN, Mr. Saiki Musa, said the support was to improve efforts to control lassa fever while explaining that the laboratory was established to complement efforts in FMC, Owo.