A team of experts from the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) have arrived in Ondo state to address the rising cases of Lassa fever in the state.
In his address at a meeting with state government officials, the leader of the NCDC team, Dr. Olubunmi Olopha, said the NCDC had deployed a team of experts to provide the necessary support to the state in the face of the lassa fever outbreak.
Olopha disclosed that less than 90 out of about 200 suspected cases had been confirmed since the reported outbreak in the state which has necessitated the synergy between NCDC and the state government to combat the scourge frontally.
She appealed to the healthcare providers to desist from delaying in referring suspected cases to appropriate facilities within the state as this would reduce deaths resulting from the disease.
Also speaking the head of the state government team, the Head of civil service, Bayo Philip, noted that the government is committed and working towards winning the fight against lassa fever and other diseases in the state.
Philip called on the state Ministries of Health, Agriculture, and Environment as well as other relevant MDAs to, as a matter of urgency come up with proactive measures to stem the tide of the yearly reoccurrence of lassa fever in the state.
The Head of Service also charged the team to get private health facilities practitioners involved in their activities.
Philip equally called on traditional rulers and religious leaders in the state to join hands with the government to ensure residents adhere to the hygienic handling of food items.
