A resident doctor has died of Lassa fever after getting infected by a patient she treated, while other doctors who came in contact with the victims have been quarantined.
Dr. Mrs Ndukwu Chizaram, a new registrar in the pediatrics department at the Federal Medical centre (FMC), Umuahia, Abia state, took ill barely 1 month after she began working at FMC. She was initially treated at FMC, Umuahia, before being transferred to Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Edo, where she passed away.
According to a source who spoke to LIB, Chizaram was infected after attending to an 11-month old baby who later died. However, the infant was not confirmed to have been infected with Lassa fever before his death.
Following the death of Dr. Ndukwe, hospital personnel who came in contact with the child and the doctor have been identified and quarantined.
In a statement by the President of the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD) in Abia state, shortly after the incident, staff who worked in the children emergency on 12th and 13th of March, and in Slessor private ward on 29th and 30th were asked to come forward.
Orji's speech to health workers shortly after the death of Dr. Ndukwe reads: "Distinguished colleagues, we have an ongoing disaster in our hands. One of our members just died of Lassa fever at Irua specialist hospital. I currently do not have the necessary information and clearance to give further details.
"For now, anybody that worked in children emergency on 12th and 13th of this month, and in slessor private ward on 29th and 30th should reach me immediately. The management has been informed and is already doing something. It is really a difficult time for all of us. But our priority now is to work with management to prevent further deaths."
An updated statement from the ARD president reads: "The Resident in question is Dr. Mrs. Ndukwu Chizaram, a new registrar in the pediatrics department. She started work barely 1month ago.
"From the information available to us at the moment, she was apparently infected by an 11-month-old patient she managed in children emergency with other residents and hospital staff. Note that the diagnosis of Lassa fever was not confirmed on the infant before the baby died.
"She subsequently became sick, was admitted to the Slessor private ward before she was transferred to Irua where the diagnosis was confirmed before, sadly, she passed away.
"Contact tracing and risk stratification are currently underway. The response team of the hospital has been deployed. Your Exco is monitoring their activities and we are also in touch with our national body and our colleagues at Irua specialist hospital.
"We hope that the management will live up to their responsibility of ensuring our safety while we work. We will not hesitate to do the needful once we are convinced that our safety can no longer be guaranteed. We implore you to be on alert.
"Make no mistake about this, what we have on our hands is a very big crisis and we sincerely hope that all hands will be on deck to see to the resolution of this crisis."
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