Lassa fever treatment: Ondo Assembly tasks government on access to hospital
“The state Ministry of Health should create an aggressive awareness for people to know the gains of prevention rather than cure”
The Ondo State House of Assembly has urged the state government to ensure access to the Lassa Fever Reference Hospital in Akure by residents of the state for adequate treatment of the disease. The Speaker of the Assembly, Chief Olamide Oladiji, made the request at the plenary on Thursday in Akure during a matter of urgent public importance.
Oladiji said that there was a need for all and sundry to come together and address the scourge of the deadly disease across the state.
The speaker stated that the government must upgrade the reference hospital by equipping the facility with modern medicals.
Oladiji further enjoined health workers to observe personal hygiene and ensure precautions and prevention of the disease. According to him, the state Ministry of Health should create an aggressive awareness for people to know the gains of prevention rather than cure.
Oladiji tasked the lawmakers to partner with the state government in ensuring adequate and constant publicity on the disease.
Earlier, Dr. Chris Ogunlana, Irele Constituency/All Progressives Congress (APC), appreciated the lawmakers for raising the matter in the plenary, which he described as a saving-life deliberation.
According to Ogunlana, the most basic thing is for us to keep our environment clean and block all routes that rodents can use to gain entrance into our residence and contaminate our food.
Similarly, Mr. Oluwarotimi Abitogun, Akure South 2/APC, said many constituents across the state had fallen victims of the disease, hence, the need for all hands to be on deck in treatment and prevention of the disease.
Abitogun decried the act of self-medication, which he said, had contributed to multiplicity of the number of Lassa fever cases in the state.
Meanwhile, the House of Assembly acknowledged the receipt of four commissioner-nominees in addition to the 12 nominees already screened by the legislative body.
Oladiji directed the four nominees to appear before the assembly on Friday, with valid certificates and updated copies of curriculum vitae for proper documentation and vetting.
He noted that the process was in line with the Section 192 (1 and 3) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended).
Also, Oladiji constituted all standing committees for smooth and effective legislative duties.
In another development, a bill for a law to establish Ondo State Coastal Management Agency scaled through first reading.
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