76 die, 38 communities affected by Ebonyi cholera epidemic

Ebonyi State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Daniel Umezurike, has said that 76 persons had been killed in 38 communities and 11 local government areas.

Briefing newsmen on the activities of the Ministry on the period under review, Umezurike said the disease used to recur on regular basis in the dry season.

On the outbreak of Lassa fever, the Commissioner said that the state recorded a total number of 83 patients both suspected and confirmed.

He lamented that out of the six confirmed cases of Lassa fever four persons died, while out of the 77 cases of the unconfirmed, 10 were lost making a total of 14 persons lost to Lassa fever recently.

He announced that the state government had approved the completing, upgrading, renovation and reconstruction of 13 general hospitals in the senatorial zones.

According to him, the Governor has mandated the Ministry to upgrade 171 primary Health Centres starting with 65 at five per LGA and to ensure the construction of the state drug distribution centres.

A part of the approval from the Governor, according to him, was the procurement of Cerumo cell harvester machine worth N10 million.

The Commissioner further stated that the Ministry under his watch had set up a machinery in motion to get enabling laws to operate.

He enumerated the bills from the Ministry to include bills for the establishment of the state Hospital Management Board, establishment of National Health Insurance Scheme, establishment of Traditional Medicine Board among others.