Worried by the 13 per cent mortality rate from Lassa Fever in Edo State, the Edo State Executive Council on Wednesday, March 2, 2022, announced the reconstitution of the standing Lassa Fever Committee as part of efforts to intensify the fight against the disease.
The Deputy Governor, Rt. Hon. Comrade Philip Shaibu, will lead the charge, the commissioner for health, Prof. Obehi Akoria said after the meeting which was chaired by the Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki.
The commissioner explained: “As of today, we have 136 cases of Lassa fever reported. Two local government areas are leading, including Etsako West and Esan West, which account for over 60 per cent of the total cases.
“The case fatality rate, which is the number of people that have died as the result of Lassa fever, is 13 per cent of 100 people who have suffered from Lassa fever.”
Other decisions taken at the EXCO Meeting, according to the Commissioner for Communication and Orientation, Mr. Andrew Emwanta, are: the approval of a 72-hour rule that makes it mandatory for officials of the Edo State Government, including Commissioners, to treat files that come to them.
“This means that no file is expected to stay beyond 72 hours untreated. A new query system has been set up for defaulters,” he added.
Also, the Commissioner for Community and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr. Donald Okogbe, said EXCO dissolved the Ward Development Committees.
Okogbe added that EXCO directed all ward development committee members to hand over all government properties in their care to Heads of Local Government Administration (HOLGA).
The new committee will be announced at a later date.
