A medical doctor with Rivers State-owned Braithwait Memorial Specialist Hospital, BMH, Dr. Livy Ijamala, has died from Lassa Fever, bringing to three the number of people killed by the disease in the state, Vanguard reports.
The sad development was disclosed by Dr. Furo Green, the Chairman of the Rivers State chapter of Nigerian Medical Association, NMA in Port Harcourt.
According to him, the deceased doctor died in the morning of Thursday, January 14, 2016 after he had contact with patients infected with Lassa Fever.
Ijamala had been buried in line with recommendations of World Health Organization, WHO, for deaths from contagious diseases, according to Green, who added that the hospital had been decontaminated while some persons who had primary contact with the deceased doctor were quarantined.
Green further disclosed that a team from WHO had already visited the hospital for assessment.
He said: “Last night, one of our hard-working doctors in the department of obstetrics gynaecology, Dr. Livy Ijamala, lost his life following infection with Lassa Fever.
“This is the price medical doctors and health personnel pay for offering health services to the public.
“The hospital is being decontaminated as we speak. All medical doctors and healthcare personnel that had primary contact with the late medical doctor have been placed under observation.”
According to him, medical doctors in the state have embarked on a 3-day warning strike to draw attention to the plight of medical doctors.
He said: “While we are not happy to go on strike, the strike now appears to be a blessing in disguise because fewer doctors and patients came to the hospital today, thereby, reducing the rate of contacts among medical doctors and patients.”
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