Tuesday, 17 May 2016

LASSA FEVER SCAM IN JOS PLATEAU STATE: NOTICEABLE TRACE OF INSENSITIVITY TO PUBLIC HEALTH AND WHY GOV. LALONG MUST ACT NOW

By Nnabugwu Chizoba
 
The report by Reality Newspaper of a suspected Lassa fever case in Jos, the Plateau state capital, with regards to the management of the suspected patient is one case too many, indeed of an interesting development.

The report reads in part “There is palpable scare in the city of Jos, the capital of Plateau State, over the poor management of a suspected Lassa fever patient who later died on her way, after several referrals from one hospital to the other with no adequate health protective measures by Our Lady of Apostles (OLA), Hospital and Plateau State Hospitals”. 

The two hospitals referred to in the report operate in Jos, the Plateau State Capital.

On coming in contact with the report, and after reading it, cold fever ran through my spine. This was inspired by fear and anxiety. Within minutes interval, my state of mind crisscrossed from its original position to anger and frustration, and thereafter switched to doubt and subsequently back to irritation, but this time, driven by concern for the community and public health, generally. 

Without mincing words, I wish to point out quickly and rightly too, that I am not in the medical profession, or in anything near it. I say this, believing that, my state of mind may have been influenced by ignorance, which I presently harbor on medical issues, especially, on a medical condition, such as Lassa fever. 

Thus, if you feel, I have in anyway, sounded exaggerating, alarming or naive in this piece, it is most probably, a function of timidity and limited exposure on my part, on matters of medicine. I will not be surprised, if the two, put together, have led me to consider as insensitive, the role played by the medical team on one hand and on the other, the ruthlessness, contagious or communicative nature of Lassa fever; the case in hand, and again what I view, as professional neglect of the public health procedure over what is noticeably and arguably in all ramifications; over-zealousness on the part of an apprentice staff and poor supervisory and administrative procedure  on the part of OLA and even the Plateau State Hospital, with regards to  the handling of the suspected Lassa fever case at various stages, as contained in the report.

I will not be very surprised if the institutions involved in this case, and few others who may rise to claim of being rooted in the medical profession vehemently oppose my authority to speak on the issue, and thus challenge my temerity to air my voice, and in doing so brand me an ignoramus, whose opinion, in this matter does not count or hold water, therefore out of place - our usual approach to covering the wrongs in our system.

Truth is, the elect among them, in terms of sound judgment and good conscience, be they from the medical and allied professions, of the institutions involved in this matter know that name calling and brigandage is not a way of erasing, or correcting the identifiable wrongs in the case study or any other ills in the society.

It is common knowledge that issues of this nature and other issues, not minding the profession, institutions or persons involved are never right, simply because the person pointing out the wrong, is in the opinion of those countering the issue in question not a professional colleague or institutional members, but that facts speaks for themselves. 

Some portions of that report raises issues of concern, because of noticeable acts of insensitivity to public health and general wellbeing by OLA and the Plateau State Hospitals.

My first concern stems from a portion of the report: “the suspected patience who was supposed to be quarantined according to medical procedures, and owing to Lassa fever’s high level communicable potentials of been transferred to another person kept in one hospital, was exposed to the family members and unsuspecting Nigerians in Jos, as they moved the patient from one Hospital to another”. 

The questions that readily came to my mind are: Could this be true, what does OLA Hospital have in mind by doing this. The other is, could it be the same Lassa fever that I’ve heard of? Do they really understand the implication of such action to public health?

Still in my state of confusion, I am moved to seek further clarification, or better still, increased understanding of the role of the Hospitals and the medical team in the management and protection of the public from the devastating effect of a medical condition(s), such as Lassa fever.

How prepared are our Hospitals and the medical institutions in terms of medical emergencies, and disease outbreak, like the case in hand? 

Considering the medical institutions mentioned in the report and the roles they played in handling the suspected Lassa fever case (if any), and on your own deepen the argument by considering the implications of such actions.

In doing so, it is important to bear in mind that, such action is capable of leading or may have led to the spread of the suspected disease “Lassa fever”, in Plateau State.The consequences of such a development is better imagined. 

It is difficult to come to terms, as a matter of fact, it is unthinkable that Lassa fever spread, have been aggravated in Plateau state as a result of very poor management, leading to the release and public exposure of the suspected Lassa fever patient to the community, .

Let us start by asking, in terms of medical health and condition, the status, at present, of those that were in the same vehicle that the suspected Lassa fever patient was transported to the Plateau State Hospital, and others in the vehicle that she was transported to the Air force Hospital, after the Plateau State Hospital reportedly rejected the her, because of the medical report from OLA Hospital, considering also, that the patient was on a public transport. What is also the fate of many that would have used the vehicle after and their relations who may have come in contact with them. The list is indeed endless.

As we speak, what is the fate of the medical team, at OLA Hospital, and those patients who reportedly gathered to witness the suspected patient, especially when you consider that OLA Hospital reportedly adopted the methodology of making the medical development a public matter by announcing their suspicion openly, thereby attracting huge crowd to witness the patient. An indication that they do not see anything wrong in that development, especially when you realize that they also exposed the suspected Lassa fever patient to the community by releasing the patient against medical procedure. 

With the observed anomalies, the quest for Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau state, to act is now!

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