Chukwudi Nweje
It was a sad day for the medical profession in Kogi State yesterday following news of the death of Dr Victor Idowu at Irrua Specialist Hospital, Edo State from Lassa fever complications.
An announcement by the Nigeria Medical Association, (NMA) in Kogi State yesterday said the late Idowu was diagnosed with Lassa fever on January 19, 2018, which he contracted in the line of duty.
Idowu’s death comes days after two other members of the NMA, Dr. Abel Sunday Udo, a resident doctor in the Department of Otorhinolayngology and Dr Ali Felix, a resident doctor in the Department of Community Medicine, both serving at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakiliki, (FETHA), Ebonyi State died of the fever on Sunday, January 14, 2018.
Udo and Felix were also reported to have contracted the disease from a patient they treated. A House Officer and a nurse that joined in treating the patient also contracted the disease and were transferred to Irrua Specialist Hospital, Irrua in critical condition where they later died.
Announcement of their deaths by the Secretary of National Association of Resident Doctors, NARD, O.V Nnadi on Sunday, 14th of January threw other health workers in the hospital into panic, even as schools went on forced break and only resumed yesterday (Monday).
Daily Sun recalls that Lassa fever resurfaced in Nasarawa State on Friday, January 19, killing one person out of the 15 suspected cases receiving attention at the Federal Medical Centre, Keffi.