*As 40-year-old woman dies of Lassa fever

By Peter Okutu

ABAKALIKI—EBONYI State government, yesterday, said a total of 543 leprosy cases had so far been registered in the state between 2015 and 2016 for treatment.

The state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Daniel Umezuruike, disclosed this in Abakaliki while briefing journalists on this year’s World Leprosy Day.

He noted that 2,021 ex-leprosy patients with various disabilities require social economic rehabilitation in the state and that the government was doing everything possible to rehabilitate them.

He said leprosy was treatable and curable but that some of the disabilities cannot easily be treated as they cause permanent damage to the peripheral nerves and skin.

“We have been doing a lot to rehabilitate those with permanent disabilities. Every year, we erect at least six buildings to rehabilitate these patients in their various homes.”

He disclosed that six more buildings will be built for the patients by the state government as captured by this year’s budget.

He regretted that most of the patients have lost their jobs because of the stigma associated with the ailment and called for elimination of stigmatization against the patients.

According to Umezuruike, only about five per cent of people globally are actually susceptible to leprosy due to malnutrition in the gene responsible for conferring immunity.

40-year-old woman dies of lassa fever

He confirmed that one person died of suspected lassa fever in the state this year.

He said: “One case of lassa fever we were managing was a 40-year-old woman that was presented on the 23rd of this month and was admitted because the managing team suspected  lassa fever and the woman was admitted into the virology centre in the state.

“Because of late presentation, she died the following day and all the investigations have been done.”