Lassa fever: Victims first contact hospitals certify for public use – Ogun govt

The first two contacted hospitals by the late Lassa fever victim, who later died at Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital (OOUTH), Sagamu, have been re-opened and certified safe to provide health care services to the people.

Ogun State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Babatunde Ipaye, made this known during a visit to the Central Specialist Hospital and Rubee Medical Center in Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area of the State.

Dr. Ipaye, in a statement signed by the Ministry’s Spoke Person, Mr. Adeniyi Akinbobola, said the step was necessary to disabuse the mind of the public against stigmatizing the hospitals and members of staff, adding that the World Health Organization Standard of fumigating and decontaminating was strictly adhered to by the State Government in the process of carrying out the exercise.

Appreciating the Medical Directors of the two hospitals for managing the situation very well, Dr Ipaye said if not for the pro-activeness of the two hospitals in informing the State Ministry of Health, the matter could have gotten out of hand, hence putting many innocent lives at risk.

“I want to call on the general public to continue patronizing the Central Specialist Hospital and the Rubee Medical Center as they have been fully certified to admit patients and provide good health care to the good people of Ogun State. What they have done was in the spirit of patriotism for the State and Nigeria as a whole”, the Commissioner said.

While appreciating the State Governor for the quick response on the matter, the Medical Director, Central Special Hospital, Dr. Akin Olusunmade, said the hospital would continue to give the best quality health care services to the public, saying that the hospital has been certified safe for public use after being shut and decontaminated for over one week.

He however urged the State Government to fulfil its promises of training and re-training of private medical practitioners in the State for good service delivery to the people, appealing to Governor Amosun for compensation considering the time that the hospital was under lock and key.

Also speaking, the Medical Director of Rubee Medical Center, Dr. Mushraq Ahmedkhan, said the management and staff of the hospital appreciated the pro-activeness of the State Government for putting the situation under control, noting that the hospital had been opened to carry out good health care service delivery.

In his response, the Chairman, Association of General Medical Practitioners of Nigeria (AGPMPN) Ogun State Chapter, Dr. Anthony Dike, suggested that the State Government should consider the creation of Isolation Centers in the three Senatorial districts of the State to further enhance quick response to epidemic diseases like Lassa Fever, urging the State Government to consider compensating the two hospitals involved.