The 19-year-old student of the School of Nursing, a training arm of the Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido Ekiti, who was on admission at the hospital after being diagnosed of having Lassa fever, has been discharged.

The patient was rushed to the hospital on Saturday, January 16, after being treated for malaria and typhoid fever with high profile antibiotics, but without positive response.

The Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Dr. Lawrence Ayodele Majekodunmi, at a press conference at the hospital where he broke the news, also said that the patient was treated and discharged without any of its medical team contracting the disease.

Majekodunmi, who confirmed that the patient is a student of the hospital's School of Nursing, however, said that the patient did not contract the disease while in school but at home during the Christmas/New year holiday.

He, however, vowed to punish non committed hospital's staff during the management of the Lassa fever crisis.

He said, "We are celebrating courage, boldness, because we have taken a giant step to face what others could not withstand. Now the patient is well, we tested her again after the treatment and she tested negative and has been discharged and has begun her normal life."

While appealing for the federal government"s assistance in the area of funding, the Chief Medical Director said the hospital had plans to expand the isolation centre in the hospital as well execute more projects but lacks of funding.

While eulogising the medical team that treated the patient, Majekodunmi urged the federal government to give "special recognition" to the team as morale booster to them.

"I appreciate my medical team, in fact they are the best in the country now.

"We can only be encouraged to do more. My hope is that the government should compensate them."

One of the nurses, Mrs. Adejoke Awotona, while sharing her experience, said the staff were ready to discharge their duties anytime they are called upon.

She, however, pleaded with the federal government to increase their hazard allowance from the present N5,000 saying "N5,000 is too small to sacrifice our lives."

Cc: lalasticlala, seun, Sissy3 and dominique