By Peter Okutu

ABAKALIKI—GOVERNOR David Umahi of Ebonyi State has began the construction of a multi-million naira virology centre which will take care of the diagnosis and treatment of Lassa fever in the State and the South East geopolitical zone of the country.

The Centre which will be commissioned this month was conceived following Governor Umahi’s vision and passion that never again would an Ebonyian or foreigner living in the state die of the deadly disease.

Gov. Dave Umahi

South East voice learned that since the outbreak of the disease this year, 5 cases had been confirmed, 3 deaths recorded while 49 suspected cases were successfully treated in the state.

The cost estimate for the construction of the Centre would gulp N250 million even as the state has made provision for the purchase of four ambulances in the fight against the scourge.

While each ambulance would be sent to the three senatorial zones of the state, Ebonyi South, Ebonyi North and Ebonyi Central; the last one would be stationed at the Virology Centre in Abakaliki to handle emergency cases within the area.

Recall that the Governor in a bid to rid the state of the deadly disease had last week declared a state of emergency in the health sector, following increasing cases of lassa fever outbreak in the state.

Inspecting the ongoing construction of the Virology Centre at the premises of the Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, FETHA, Governor Umahi expressed optimism that the funds approved for the project would get centre to be up and running within three weeks.

“Exco went further today to approve four ambulances to attack lassa fever. One should be in Abakaliki here and one would be in each of the designated hospitals in the three senatorial zones of the State. “And we have also directed that emergency building or caravan should be constructed to allow any suspected  lassa fever patient to go to our general hospital or primary healthcare centre because it could further spread and that is why we want to isolate any identified case through advocacy campaign.

“We have also approved as Exco members another four sets of dialysis machines apart from the other equipment associated with lassa fever approved for the centre. One of the dialysis machines will be in the hospital here and one in each zone in the hospital of your choice.

“So, on the whole we are spending close to N250 million to attack lassa fever. About 64 million is going to build the mini hospital and the lab. We have money for equipment, campaign advocacy and so on”.

Umahi further lauded the efforts of the Management and Staff of the Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki under the leadership of the Chief Medical Director, CMD Emeka Ogah and the Special committees set up by his administration headed by the Secretary to State Government, Prof Ben Odoh for their commitment in the fight against the virus.

Earlier, the CMD of FETHA who conducted the Governor, his Deputy, Dr. Kelechi Igwe other Exco members and Journalists round the building, commended the Governor for coming to their aid saying “we had reported and complained countless times to past administrations on the need for lassa fever centre in the state, especially in 2005 when so many of our staff and patients died of the disease; but to no avail”.

He said a lot of people both indigenes and non indigenes have died of the disease in the state which wouldn’t have been so, if they were given prompt diagnoses and treatment.

The Chairman of the Special Committee on lassa fever, Prof Odoh thanked Governor Umahi for his leadership style and for giving them the encouragement and logistics to carry out the assignment.

According to him, the state government would within weeks nip the spread of the disease at the board with intensive media campaigns, public enlightenment and immediate treatment of every suspected case in the state.

In a bid to ensure complete eradication of the disease, especially at the grassroots level, the state government has also set up a 10-man Lassa fever Committee in each of the 13 local government areas of the state even as it has introduced operation kill all the rats in the state.