Lassa Fever: UBTH records first victim

AGENE GODWIN, Benin

A Lassa Fever victim (names withheld) has been confirmed dead at University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), after receiving medical attention by a team of health care personnel.

The victim, it was learnt was rushed to the Hospital after complaining of appendicitis.

He was said to have been attended to by medical personnel at UBTH and was immediately confirmed dead after the management of the hospital performed an operation on him.

It was however gathered that the victim who was on a visit to Nigeria died at the UBTH weeks after he attended his mother’s funeral who apparently died after contracting Lassa fever at Ekpoma, in Edo state.

In a statement signed and made available to newsmen Tuesday in Benin city, the Chief Medical Director of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH), Prof. Michael Ibadin, who confirmed the Lassa fever incident at the hospital, said there is no cause for alarm as the hospital management had maintained professionalism in handling the case.

Ibadin said the patient who was receiving treatment at the UBTH died three hours after he was attended to at the hospital,noting that “all persons who were involved in providing care for the victim, have all been taken care of according to standard as determined by international best practices.”

He further stressed that management of the hospital immediately swung into action to ensure that the care givers at the hospital including staffs and medical personnel who cared for the victim were quarantined to ensure safety adding that “there is no cause for alarm as the hospital has continued to provide services to the public under very safe environment.

“The victim, an adult male patient, who was visiting from his base abroad had a typical presentation of abdominal pain. History of fever was not volunteered initially. The suspicion of Lassa fever was entertained when following surgery he had uncontrolled bleeding. He has since passed on,” Ibadin added.