Tony Okafor, Awka
A medical doctor and three others have been reported to have died of Lassa fever in Anambra State.
This was disclosed in a one-day Lassa fever training workshop organised by the state Ministry of Health.

While a resource person in the workshop, Dr. Jane Ezeonu confirmed that the medical doctor died at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Teaching Hospital, Nnewi, three days ago, the Director of Public Health in the state, Dr. Emmanuel Okafor, said the state had recorded the death of three others recently.
Ezeonu said the late medical doctor was referred to NAUTH from Asaba, Delta State.
Ezeonu warned the people of the state to stop drinking rawgarri, adding that they should protect their food and related items from rats.
She explained that people don’t acquire immunity after suffering from Lassa fever, as believed in some quarters.
Ezeonu said general hygiene was important in Lassa fever prevention.
On his part, Okafor said the essence of the workshop was to train professionals who would go to the grassroots to educate the people on the prevention of the disease.
He said, “In Anambra State, we don’t know the number of cases of the disease, but we have three confirmed deaths.
He called on health workers in the state to exercise high standard in handling Lassa fever cases.
Okafor said the state government had put proactive measures in place to handle the scourge.
Speaking, the Permanent Secretary in the state Ministry of Health, Dr. Okwuchukwu Chukwuka, said there was no epidemic of the disease in the state.
 Chukwuka, who represented the state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Josephat Akabuike, on the occasion, said the training workshop was  a proactive measure.
 “It is a training workshop for health professionals in the 21 local government areas of the state who would sensitize and disseminate information about Lassa fever to the grassroots.
“We are having the workshop for prevention, not that we have an epidemic in the state, Chukwuka said.