₦airaland Forum

Lagos State Ministry of Health Update on Lassa Fever Outbreak in Lagos State as at January 27the 2016

I.Preamble
Lagos State has recorded twenty (20) suspected cases of Lassa Fever as at January 26, 2016, since the outbreak of the disease in the Country in November, 2015.

Fourteen (14) suspected cases tested negative, four (4) suspected cases were confirmed positive of Lasssa Fever, while the results of two (2) suspected cases are pending. One (1) case was confirmed on the 15th January 2016, two (2) cases were confirmed on 18th January 2016 and one (1) case was confirmed on 26th January, 2016.

The Ministry has line-listed 537 contacts of the confirmed cases and 534 (99%) of the contacts are currently being monitored.

The last confirmed case was a 27 years old Lady, who travelled to Edo State on December 24 2015 and returned to Lagos on January 2, 2016. She became ill on January 14, 2016 and received care in one private hospital and three churches before she was referred on January 23, 2016 to Ijede General Hospital with fever, vomiting, diarrhoea and body weakness. The patient died within a few hours of admission. The case was confirmed as Lassa Fever on January 26, 2016.

The remains of the patient has been kept in the morgue in leak proof body bag. She is to be buried after due consultation with her family.
Ninety (90) persons have been line-listed as contacts of the last confirmed case as at January 26, 2016 and contact tracing is on-going.

II. Information for the General Public
Route of Transmission of Lassa Fever
Members of the public are being sensitized to note that Lassa fever can be contacted through:
1. Ingestion of foods and drinks contaminated by the saliva, urine and faeces of infected rats
Catching and preparing infected rats as food
2. Inhaling tiny particles in the air contaminated with infected rat urine or droppings.
3. Direct contact with a sick person’s blood or body fluids, through mucous membranes, like eyes, nose or mouth.
People at greater risk of Infection with Lassa Fever
Those at highest risk of Lassa Fever include:
4. Families and friends of an infected person in the course of feeding, holding and caring for them.
5. Health workers who have attended to infected persons.

Manifestations of Lassa Fever
Residents are urged to watch out for following signs and symptoms of Lassa fever which typically occur within 1-3 weeks after the patient comes into contact with the virus.
1. Early symptoms of the disease include fever, headache, chills, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, sore throat, backache, and joint pains.
2. Late symptoms include bleeding from the eyes, ears and nose, bleeding from the mouth and rectum, eye swelling, swelling of the genitals and rashes all over the body that often contain blood. It could progress to coma, shock and death.
How to prevent spread of Lassa Fever
Towards prevention of spread of Lassa Fever, residents are enjoined to:
1. Observe a high level of personal and environmental hygiene.
2. Ensure proper environmental sanitation (Using appropriate methods of collection and disposal of waste, avoid open defecation).
3. Wash hands properly before and after cooking of foods.
4. Eliminate rats from dwellings, avoid consumption of rat meat, protect food items from rodents by storing them in plastic containers with covers and cover all foods (including left-overs) and water properly.

III. Information for Health Workers (Public and Private).
Health workers are advised to:
1. Be at alert to ensure early detection Lassa fever and other viral hemorrhagic fever in patients with high fever.
2. Report any suspected case to the Primary Health Department of LGAs or the Ministry of Health.

I need to emphasise that to prevent spread of infection from a patient to a health worker, Doctors, Nurses, Laboratory Scientists, Pharmacists and other health workers in both public and private health facilities must:

1. Observe universal safety precautions when attending to all patients.
· See body fluids of all patients as possible sources of infection. These include blood, secretions, excretions and other body fluids.
· Regular hand washing with soap and water.
· Wear appropriate hand gloves
· Protect the eyes and noses.
· Wear gowns, protective clothing and caps.
· Sterilise all instruments
· Decontaminate linen and laundry.
· Dispose of medical wastes appropriately

2. Wear appropriate PPEs when attending to suspected/confirmed cases.
· Hand gloves
· Goggles
· Face masks
· Overall (gown).
· Apron
· Booths
3. Wash their hands with soap and water regularly.

IV. Information for Mortuary Personnel
All mortuary personnel are enjoined to follow strict Infection Prevention Control measures when handling dead bodies. All mortuary personnel must wear elbow-length gloves, gowns, overall, goggles, face masks, booths when attending to corpses.

V. General Information on how to identify and report Suspected Cases
Cases to be suspected are:

1. Any person with persistent high fever not responding to standard treatment for malaria and typhoid fever.

2. Any person with positive history of contact with an infected person or health worker who had treated either suspected or confirmed cases, who suddenly become ill.

VI. Measures put in place by the Government
The government, towards preventing and controlling the spread of Lassa Fever in the State, has:

1. Established an Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) at the Ministry of Health (Conference Room) to coordinate response.
2. Rapid response teams have been set up to carry out the following interventions:
· Collect blood samples from suspected cases for investigation.
· Transfer suspected and confirmed cases to separate isolation ward for observation and management.
· Contact identification, listing and monitoring.
· Case management.
· Decontamination
3. Embarked on intensive awareness and sensitization campaigns through meetings with different stakeholders (market women, school teachers, religious leaders etc), radio jingles, media appearances and distribution of IEC materials.
4. Supplied Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to all General Hospitals, infection prevention commodities (PPEs, Lea Proof Body Bags etc) and antiviral drugs.
5. Intensified Disease Surveillance activities for prompt detection of any new case.
6. Mobilised professional from the Lagos State Ministry of Health (LSMH) and its agencies, Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH), Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Association of Public Health Physician

VII. Conclusion
In conclusion, I wish to reiterate the need for the citizenry to follow the general health promotion and disease prevention measures.

These measures include:
1. Basic environmental sanitation, including proper disposal of refuse, avoiding open defecation etc.
2. Regular hand washing with soap and water
3. Maintaining personal hygiene.
4. Adequate nutrition

I hereby state again with great emphasis that:

1. All health workers must have high index of suspicion in cases with high fever not responding to treatment, especially those with positive history of contact with infected person and adhere strictly to infection control measures while providing health care to the people

2. Mortuary personnel must wear elbow-length gloves, face mask, gowns and other personal protective equipment while attending to the remains of dead patients.

3. The public should report suspected cases.

Suspected cases should be reported to the nearest public health facility or notify the Ministry of Health on the following lines 08037170614, 08022234273, 08022241768 08033065303, 08033086660, 08055281442 and 08023169485.[b][/b]
The Lagos State Government, under the leadership of the Governor, His Excellency, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode will continue provide quality, affordable and accessible health care to the good people of the State towards achieving universal health care to all.

Thank you for your attention.

Itesiwaju Ipinle Eko lo je wa logun!

Lagos State Ministry of Health Update on Lassa Fever Outbreak in Lagos State as at January 27the 2016

I.Preamble
Lagos State has recorded twenty (20) suspected cases of Lassa Fever as at January 26, 2016, since the outbreak of the disease in the Country in November, 2015.

Fourteen (14) suspected cases tested negative, four (4) suspected cases were confirmed positive of Lasssa Fever, while the results of two (2) suspected cases are pending. One (1) case was confirmed on the 15th January 2016, two (2) cases were confirmed on 18th January 2016 and one (1) case was confirmed on 26th January, 2016.

The Ministry has line-listed 537 contacts of the confirmed cases and 534 (99%) of the contacts are currently being monitored.

The last confirmed case was a 27 years old Lady, who travelled to Edo State on December 24 2015 and returned to Lagos on January 2, 2016. She became ill on January 14, 2016 and received care in one private hospital and three churches before she was referred on January 23, 2016 to Ijede General Hospital with fever, vomiting, diarrhoea and body weakness. The patient died within a few hours of admission. The case was confirmed as Lassa Fever on January 26, 2016.

The remains of the patient has been kept in the morgue in leak proof body bag. She is to be buried after due consultation with her family.
Ninety (90) persons have been line-listed as contacts of the last confirmed case as at January 26, 2016 and contact tracing is on-going.

II. Information for the General Public
Route of Transmission of Lassa Fever
Members of the public are being sensitized to note that Lassa fever can be contacted through:
ØIngestion of foods and drinks contaminated by the saliva, urine and faeces of infected rats
ØCatching and preparing infected rats as food
ØInhaling tiny particles in the air contaminated with infected rat urine or droppings.
ØDirect contact with a sick person’s blood or body fluids, through mucous membranes, like eyes, nose or mouth.
People at greater risk of Infection with Lassa Fever
Those at highest risk of Lassa Fever include:
ØFamilies and friends of an infected person in the course of feeding, holding and caring for them.
ØHealth workers who have attended to infected persons.

Manifestations of Lassa Fever
Residents are urged to watch out for following signs and symptoms of Lassa fever which typically occur within 1-3 weeks after the patient comes into contact with the virus.
ØEarly symptoms of the disease include fever, headache, chills, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, sore throat, backache, and joint pains.
Ø Late symptoms include bleeding from the eyes, ears and nose, bleeding from the mouth and rectum, eye swelling, swelling of the genitals and rashes all over the body that often contain blood. It could progress to coma, shock and death.
How to prevent spread of Lassa Fever
Towards prevention of spread of Lassa Fever, residents are enjoined to:
ØObserve a high level of personal and environmental hygiene.
ØEnsure proper environmental sanitation (Using appropriate methods of collection and disposal of waste, avoid open defecation).
ØWash hands properly before and after cooking of foods.
ØEliminate rats from dwellings, avoid consumption of rat meat, protect food items from rodents by storing them in plastic containers with covers and cover all foods (including left-overs) and water properly.

III. Information for Health Workers (Public and Private).
Health workers are advised to:
ØBe at alert to ensure early detection Lassa fever and other viral hemorrhagic fever in patients with high fever.
ØReport any suspected case to the Primary Health Department of LGAs or the Ministry of Health.

I need to emphasise that to prevent spread of infection from a patient to a health worker, Doctors, Nurses, Laboratory Scientists, Pharmacists and other health workers in both public and private health facilities must:

ØObserve universal safety precautions when attending to all patients.
· See body fluids of all patients as possible sources of infection. These include blood, secretions, excretions and other body fluids.
· Regular hand washing with soap and water.
· Wear appropriate hand gloves
· Protect the eyes and noses.
· Wear gowns, protective clothing and caps.
· Sterilise all instruments
· Decontaminate linen and laundry.
· Dispose of medical wastes appropriately
ØWear appropriate PPEs when attending to suspected/confirmed cases.
· Hand gloves
· Goggles
· Face masks
· Overall (gown).
· Apron
· Booths
ØWash their hands with soap and water regularly.

IV. Information for Mortuary Personnel
All mortuary personnel are enjoined to follow strict Infection Prevention Control measures when handling dead bodies. All mortuary personnel must wear elbow-length gloves, gowns, overall, goggles, face masks, booths when attending to corpses.



V. General Information on how to identify and report Suspected Cases
Cases to be suspected are:
ØAny person with persistent high fever not responding to standard treatment for malaria and typhoid fever.

ØAny person with positive history of contact with an infected person or health worker who had treated either suspected or confirmed cases, who suddenly become ill.

VI. Measures put in place by the Government
The government, towards preventing and controlling the spread of Lassa Fever in the State, has:

ØEstablished an Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) at the Ministry of Health (Conference Room) to coordinate response.
ØRapid response teams have been set up to carry out the following interventions:
· Collect blood samples from suspected cases for investigation.
· Transfer suspected and confirmed cases to separate isolation ward for observation and management.
· Contact identification, listing and monitoring.
· Case management.
· Decontamination
ØEmbarked on intensive awareness and sensitization campaigns through meetings with different stakeholders (market women, school teachers, religious leaders etc), radio jingles, media appearances and distribution of IEC materials.
ØSupplied Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to all General Hospitals, infection prevention commodities (PPEs, Lea Proof Body Bags etc) and antiviral drugs.
ØIntensified Disease Surveillance activities for prompt detection of any new case.
ØMobilised professional from the Lagos State Ministry of Health (LSMH) and its agencies, Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH), Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Association of Public Health Physician

VII. Conclusion
In conclusion, I wish to reiterate the need for the citizenry to follow the general health promotion and disease prevention measures.

These measures include:
1. Basic environmental sanitation, including proper disposal of refuse, avoiding open defecation etc.
2. Regular hand washing with soap and water
3. Maintaining personal hygiene.
4. Adequate nutrition

I hereby state again with great emphasis that:

ØAll health workers must have high index of suspicion in cases with high fever not responding to treatment, especially those with positive history of contact with infected person and adhere strictly to infection control measures while providing health care to the people

ØMortuary personnel must wear elbow-length gloves, face mask, gowns and other personal protective equipment while attending to the remains of dead patients.

ØThe public should report suspected cases.

Suspected cases should be reported to the nearest public health facility or notify the Ministry of Health on the following lines 08037170614, 08022234273, 08022241768 08033065303, 08033086660, 08055281442 and 08023169485.
The Lagos State Government, under the leadership of the Governor, His Excellency, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode will continue provide quality, affordable and accessible health care to the good people of the State towards achieving universal health care to all.

Thank you for your attention.

Itesiwaju Ipinle Eko lo je wa logun!

MEDICAL WORLD NIGERIA

IbnIbrahim:
[/b][b]
Lagos State Ministry of Health Update on Lassa Fever Outbreak in Lagos State as at January 27the 2016

I.Preamble
Lagos State has recorded twenty (20) suspected cases of Lassa Fever as at January 26, 2016, since the outbreak of the disease in the Country in November, 2015.

Fourteen (14) suspected cases tested negative, four (4) suspected cases were confirmed positive of Lasssa Fever, while the results of two (2) suspected cases are pending. One (1) case was confirmed on the 15th January 2016, two (2) cases were confirmed on 18th January 2016 and one (1) case was confirmed on 26th January, 2016.

The Ministry has line-listed 537 contacts of the confirmed cases and 534 (99%) of the contacts are currently being monitored.

The last confirmed case was a 27 years old Lady, who travelled to Edo State on December 24 2015 and returned to Lagos on January 2, 2016. She became ill on January 14, 2016 and received care in one private hospital and three churches before she was referred on January 23, 2016 to Ijede General Hospital with fever, vomiting, diarrhoea and body weakness. The patient died within a few hours of admission. The case was confirmed as Lassa Fever on January 26, 2016.

The remains of the patient has been kept in the morgue in leak proof body bag. She is to be buried after due consultation with her family.
Ninety (90) persons have been line-listed as contacts of the last confirmed case as at January 26, 2016 and contact tracing is on-going.

II. Information for the General Public
Route of Transmission of Lassa Fever
Members of the public are being sensitized to note that Lassa fever can be contacted through:
ØIngestion of foods and drinks contaminated by the saliva, urine and faeces of infected rats
ØCatching and preparing infected rats as food
ØInhaling tiny particles in the air contaminated with infected rat urine or droppings.
ØDirect contact with a sick person’s blood or body fluids, through mucous membranes, like eyes, nose or mouth.
People at greater risk of Infection with Lassa Fever
Those at highest risk of Lassa Fever include:
ØFamilies and friends of an infected person in the course of feeding, holding and caring for them.
ØHealth workers who have attended to infected persons.

Manifestations of Lassa Fever
Residents are urged to watch out for following signs and symptoms of Lassa fever which typically occur within 1-3 weeks after the patient comes into contact with the virus.
ØEarly symptoms of the disease include fever, headache, chills, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, sore throat, backache, and joint pains.
Ø Late symptoms include bleeding from the eyes, ears and nose, bleeding from the mouth and rectum, eye swelling, swelling of the genitals and rashes all over the body that often contain blood. It could progress to coma, shock and death.
How to prevent spread of Lassa Fever
Towards prevention of spread of Lassa Fever, residents are enjoined to:
ØObserve a high level of personal and environmental hygiene.
ØEnsure proper environmental sanitation (Using appropriate methods of collection and disposal of waste, avoid open defecation).
ØWash hands properly before and after cooking of foods.
ØEliminate rats from dwellings, avoid consumption of rat meat, protect food items from rodents by storing them in plastic containers with covers and cover all foods (including left-overs) and water properly.

III. Information for Health Workers (Public and Private).
Health workers are advised to:
ØBe at alert to ensure early detection Lassa fever and other viral hemorrhagic fever in patients with high fever.
ØReport any suspected case to the Primary Health Department of LGAs or the Ministry of Health.

I need to emphasise that to prevent spread of infection from a patient to a health worker, Doctors, Nurses, Laboratory Scientists, Pharmacists and other health workers in both public and private health facilities must:

ØObserve universal safety precautions when attending to all patients.
· See body fluids of all patients as possible sources of infection. These include blood, secretions, excretions and other body fluids.
· Regular hand washing with soap and water.
· Wear appropriate hand gloves
· Protect the eyes and noses.
· Wear gowns, protective clothing and caps.
· Sterilise all instruments
· Decontaminate linen and laundry.
· Dispose of medical wastes appropriately
ØWear appropriate PPEs when attending to suspected/confirmed cases.
· Hand gloves
· Goggles
· Face masks
· Overall (gown).
· Apron
· Booths
ØWash their hands with soap and water regularly.

IV. Information for Mortuary Personnel
All mortuary personnel are enjoined to follow strict Infection Prevention Control measures when handling dead bodies. All mortuary personnel must wear elbow-length gloves, gowns, overall, goggles, face masks, booths when attending to corpses.



V. General Information on how to identify and report Suspected Cases
Cases to be suspected are:
ØAny person with persistent high fever not responding to standard treatment for malaria and typhoid fever.

ØAny person with positive history of contact with an infected person or health worker who had treated either suspected or confirmed cases, who suddenly become ill.

VI. Measures put in place by the Government
The government, towards preventing and controlling the spread of Lassa Fever in the State, has:

ØEstablished an Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) at the Ministry of Health (Conference Room) to coordinate response.
ØRapid response teams have been set up to carry out the following interventions:
· Collect blood samples from suspected cases for investigation.
· Transfer suspected and confirmed cases to separate isolation ward for observation and management.
· Contact identification, listing and monitoring.
· Case management.
· Decontamination
ØEmbarked on intensive awareness and sensitization campaigns through meetings with different stakeholders (market women, school teachers, religious leaders etc), radio jingles, media appearances and distribution of IEC materials.
ØSupplied Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to all General Hospitals, infection prevention commodities (PPEs, Lea Proof Body Bags etc) and antiviral drugs.
ØIntensified Disease Surveillance activities for prompt detection of any new case.
ØMobilised professional from the Lagos State Ministry of Health (LSMH) and its agencies, Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH), Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Association of Public Health Physician

VII. Conclusion
In conclusion, I wish to reiterate the need for the citizenry to follow the general health promotion and disease prevention measures.

These measures include:
1. Basic environmental sanitation, including proper disposal of refuse, avoiding open defecation etc.
2. Regular hand washing with soap and water
3. Maintaining personal hygiene.
4. Adequate nutrition

I hereby state again with great emphasis that:

ØAll health workers must have high index of suspicion in cases with high fever not responding to treatment, especially those with positive history of contact with infected person and adhere strictly to infection control measures while providing health care to the people

ØMortuary personnel must wear elbow-length gloves, face mask, gowns and other personal protective equipment while attending to the remains of dead patients.

ØThe public should report suspected cases.

Suspected cases should be reported to the nearest public health facility or notify the Ministry of Health on the following lines 08037170614, 08022234273, 08022241768 08033065303, 08033086660, 08055281442 and 08023169485.
The Lagos State Government, under the leadership of the Governor, His Excellency, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode will continue provide quality, affordable and accessible health care to the good people of the State towards achieving universal health care to all.

Thank you for your attention.

Itesiwaju Ipinle Eko lo je wa logun!


MEDICAL WORLD NIGERIA

Please share the message, it can just be anyone!

[/b][b]
Lagos State Ministry of Health Update on Lassa Fever Outbreak in Lagos State as at January 27the 2016

I.Preamble
Lagos State has recorded twenty (20) suspected cases of Lassa Fever as at January 26, 2016, since the outbreak of the disease in the Country in November, 2015.

Fourteen (14) suspected cases tested negative, four (4) suspected cases were confirmed positive of Lasssa Fever, while the results of two (2) suspected cases are pending. One (1) case was confirmed on the 15th January 2016, two (2) cases were confirmed on 18th January 2016 and one (1) case was confirmed on 26th January, 2016.

The Ministry has line-listed 537 contacts of the confirmed cases and 534 (99%) of the contacts are currently being monitored.

The last confirmed case was a 27 years old Lady, who travelled to Edo State on December 24 2015 and returned to Lagos on January 2, 2016. She became ill on January 14, 2016 and received care in one private hospital and three churches before she was referred on January 23, 2016 to Ijede General Hospital with fever, vomiting, diarrhoea and body weakness. The patient died within a few hours of admission. The case was confirmed as Lassa Fever on January 26, 2016.

The remains of the patient has been kept in the morgue in leak proof body bag. She is to be buried after due consultation with her family.
Ninety (90) persons have been line-listed as contacts of the last confirmed case as at January 26, 2016 and contact tracing is on-going.

II. Information for the General Public
Route of Transmission of Lassa Fever
Members of the public are being sensitized to note that Lassa fever can be contacted through:
ØIngestion of foods and drinks contaminated by the saliva, urine and faeces of infected rats
ØCatching and preparing infected rats as food
ØInhaling tiny particles in the air contaminated with infected rat urine or droppings.
ØDirect contact with a sick person’s blood or body fluids, through mucous membranes, like eyes, nose or mouth.
People at greater risk of Infection with Lassa Fever
Those at highest risk of Lassa Fever include:
ØFamilies and friends of an infected person in the course of feeding, holding and caring for them.
ØHealth workers who have attended to infected persons.

Manifestations of Lassa Fever
Residents are urged to watch out for following signs and symptoms of Lassa fever which typically occur within 1-3 weeks after the patient comes into contact with the virus.
ØEarly symptoms of the disease include fever, headache, chills, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, sore throat, backache, and joint pains.
Ø Late symptoms include bleeding from the eyes, ears and nose, bleeding from the mouth and rectum, eye swelling, swelling of the genitals and rashes all over the body that often contain blood. It could progress to coma, shock and death.
How to prevent spread of Lassa Fever
Towards prevention of spread of Lassa Fever, residents are enjoined to:
ØObserve a high level of personal and environmental hygiene.
ØEnsure proper environmental sanitation (Using appropriate methods of collection and disposal of waste, avoid open defecation).
ØWash hands properly before and after cooking of foods.
ØEliminate rats from dwellings, avoid consumption of rat meat, protect food items from rodents by storing them in plastic containers with covers and cover all foods (including left-overs) and water properly.

III. Information for Health Workers (Public and Private).
Health workers are advised to:
ØBe at alert to ensure early detection Lassa fever and other viral hemorrhagic fever in patients with high fever.
ØReport any suspected case to the Primary Health Department of LGAs or the Ministry of Health.

I need to emphasise that to prevent spread of infection from a patient to a health worker, Doctors, Nurses, Laboratory Scientists, Pharmacists and other health workers in both public and private health facilities must:

ØObserve universal safety precautions when attending to all patients.
· See body fluids of all patients as possible sources of infection. These include blood, secretions, excretions and other body fluids.
· Regular hand washing with soap and water.
· Wear appropriate hand gloves
· Protect the eyes and noses.
· Wear gowns, protective clothing and caps.
· Sterilise all instruments
· Decontaminate linen and laundry.
· Dispose of medical wastes appropriately
ØWear appropriate PPEs when attending to suspected/confirmed cases.
· Hand gloves
· Goggles
· Face masks
· Overall (gown).
· Apron
· Booths
ØWash their hands with soap and water regularly.

IV. Information for Mortuary Personnel
All mortuary personnel are enjoined to follow strict Infection Prevention Control measures when handling dead bodies. All mortuary personnel must wear elbow-length gloves, gowns, overall, goggles, face masks, booths when attending to corpses.



V. General Information on how to identify and report Suspected Cases
Cases to be suspected are:
ØAny person with persistent high fever not responding to standard treatment for malaria and typhoid fever.

ØAny person with positive history of contact with an infected person or health worker who had treated either suspected or confirmed cases, who suddenly become ill.

VI. Measures put in place by the Government
The government, towards preventing and controlling the spread of Lassa Fever in the State, has:

ØEstablished an Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) at the Ministry of Health (Conference Room) to coordinate response.
ØRapid response teams have been set up to carry out the following interventions:
· Collect blood samples from suspected cases for investigation.
· Transfer suspected and confirmed cases to separate isolation ward for observation and management.
· Contact identification, listing and monitoring.
· Case management.
· Decontamination
ØEmbarked on intensive awareness and sensitization campaigns through meetings with different stakeholders (market women, school teachers, religious leaders etc), radio jingles, media appearances and distribution of IEC materials.
ØSupplied Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to all General Hospitals, infection prevention commodities (PPEs, Lea Proof Body Bags etc) and antiviral drugs.
ØIntensified Disease Surveillance activities for prompt detection of any new case.
ØMobilised professional from the Lagos State Ministry of Health (LSMH) and its agencies, Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH), Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Association of Public Health Physician

VII. Conclusion
In conclusion, I wish to reiterate the need for the citizenry to follow the general health promotion and disease prevention measures.

These measures include:
1. Basic environmental sanitation, including proper disposal of refuse, avoiding open defecation etc.
2. Regular hand washing with soap and water
3. Maintaining personal hygiene.
4. Adequate nutrition

I hereby state again with great emphasis that:

ØAll health workers must have high index of suspicion in cases with high fever not responding to treatment, especially those with positive history of contact with infected person and adhere strictly to infection control measures while providing health care to the people

ØMortuary personnel must wear elbow-length gloves, face mask, gowns and other personal protective equipment while attending to the remains of dead patients.

ØThe public should report suspected cases.

Suspected cases should be reported to the nearest public health facility or notify the Ministry of Health on the following lines 08037170614, 08022234273, 08022241768 08033065303, 08033086660, 08055281442 and 08023169485.
The Lagos State Government, under the leadership of the Governor, His Excellency, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode will continue provide quality, affordable and accessible health care to the good people of the State towards achieving universal health care to all.

Thank you for your attention.

Itesiwaju Ipinle Eko lo je wa logun!


MEDICAL WORLD NIGERIA

Rice is about the commonest, cheapest and easiest staple food prepared not only by Nigerian households but in most parts of the world as well.

Indeed, statistics from the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) indicate that half the world’s population eats rice every day, making the staple a major source of nutrition for billions of people.

But recent studies have associated the much-loved staple with rise in chronic and degenerative diseases such as cancer, diabetes, gastrointestinal problems, depression, developmental problems in children, heart disease and nervous system damage. However, most worrisome are lung and bladder cancers.

While researchers have found traces of arsenic from old industrial pesticides on rice grains sold globally, a study reported in the journal PLoS ONE, showed rice has 10 times more inorganic arsenic than other foods and the European Food Standards Authority has reported that people who eat a lot of it are exposed to troubling concentrations.

According to the study, the levels of arsenic in rice vary by type, country of production and growing conditions.

Generally, brown rice has higher levels because the arsenic is found in the outer coating or bran, which is removed in the milling process to produce white rice.

The study noted that in the short term, the regular consumption of rice could cause gastrointestinal problems, muscle cramping and lesions on the hands and feet.

The researchers observed that the risk of arsenic poisoning is greatest for people who eat rice several times a day, and for infants, whose first solid meals are often rice-based baby food.

In July 2014, the World Health Organisation (WHO) set worldwide guidelines for what it considers to be safe levels of arsenic in rice, suggesting a maximum of 200 microgrammes per kilogramme for white rice and 400 μg kg−1 for brown rice.

Also, scientists have identified rice as one of the staple diets that are genetically modified (GMOs). Others include corn, soy, cotton, papaya (pawpaw), tomatoes, rapeseed, dairy products, potatoes, and peas.

GMOs are accused of causing cancer, destroying the environment and storing up devastating health risks for children.

Controversies surround genetically modified organisms on several levels, including ethics, environmental impact, food safety, product labeling, role in meeting world food requirements, intellectual property and role in industrial agriculture.

An online journal, China Daily, reported potential serious public health and environment problems with genetically modified rice considering its tendency to cause allergic reactions with the concurrent possibility of gene transfers.

Scientists including the American Academy of Environmental Medicine (AAEM) have warned that GMOs pose a serious threat to health, and it is no accident that there can be a correlation between it and adverse health effects.

In fact, the AAEM has advised doctors to tell their patients to avoid GMOs as the introduction of GMOs into the current food supply has correlated with an alarming rise in chronic diseases and food allergies.

It has been shown that eating a diet of white bread and rice could increase the risk of depression in older women, but whole grain foods, roughage and vegetables could reduce it.

According to a study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, refined foods cause blood sugar levels to spike rapidly – prompting the body to pump out the hormone insulin, which helps break down the sugar. But this process can cause symptoms of depression. The findings could pave the way for depression being treated and prevented using nutrition.

In a study that included data from more than 70,000 post-menopausal women, scientists found a link between refined carbohydrate consumption and depression.

How experts recommend that rice be cooked

Britain’s leading expert on rice and contamination, Andy Meharg, a professor of plant and soil sciences at Queens University in Belfast, prevented his own children from eating some rice products because of the arsenic levels.

Meharg said the current method for cooking rice, essentially boiling it in a pan until it soaks up all the liquid, binds into place any arsenic contained in the rice and the cooking water.

By contrast, cooking it in a coffee percolator allows the steaming hot water to drip through the rice, washing away contaminants. There was a 57per cent reduction in arsenic with a ratio of 12 parts of water to one of rice and in some cases as much as 85per cent.

Ashiru said: “Rice both white and brown are of good nutritional value. Brown rice especially contains E and B vitamins and minerals such as iron, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium and zinc.

“White rice is not that good. More so the processed one that is genetically modified has higher levels of toxins.

“Firstly when you cook rice, rinse properly when it is warm before full boiling, and drain out the fluid. This will get rid of some of the toxins.”

Study author Dr. James Gangwisch, of Columbia University, United States, said: “This suggests that dietary interventions could serve as treatments and preventive measures for depression.

“Further study is needed to examine the potential of this novel option for treatment and prevention, and to see if similar results are found in the broader population.”

White refined foods, known as ‘bad carbs’, have also been said to contribute to obesity, low energy levels and insomnia.

Different from their healthier counterparts, white carbs start with flour that has been ground and refined by stripping off the outer layer where fibre is found.

This missing fibre could do wonders for the body, helping reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, lower blood cholesterol and help people feel fuller for longer. Generally, the more refined the grain-based food, the lower the fibre count.

By purchasing organic rice, limiting one’s rice intake and eating a balanced diet, however, The Telegraph suggests that health issues associated with long-term arsenic consumption can be avoided.


The Guardian

Transform Together Scholarships

Course(s) Offered: All courses
Course Level: Undergraduate, Graduate
Provider: Sheffield Hallam University
Country to Study in: UK

Scholarship Description
Are you ambitious? Do you want to represent international students at Sheffield Hallam University now and in the future? If so, these exclusive and competitive scholarships are aimed at you.

The Transform Together scholarships are open to students from any non-EU country applying to study at Sheffield Hallam University to enroll in the 2015/16 or 2016/2017 academic year.

The scholarships will be awarded to well-qualified students who demonstrate academic, personal or professional achievement on their scholarship application form.

Successful applicants will be awarded with a certificate to mark their achievement following enrolment on their course.

Transform Together Scholarships at Sheffield Hallam University

Eligibility Criteria
If you are a high achiever or believe you can make a significant contribution to the University, you are encouraged to apply.

To be eligible to apply for one of these scholarships you must:

for POSTGRADUATE only – have achieved a minimum 2.1 or equivalent in your honours degree and must meet the minimum course entry requirements. Please attach transcripts to scholarship applications.
for UNDERGRADUATE only – you must achieve or exceed the entry criteria for the course.
have an unconditional/conditional offer to study a full-time postgraduate course at Sheffield Hallam University. Find out how to apply for a course.
be enrolling on a one year full-time taught postgraduate course with Sheffield Hallam starting in the 2016/17 academic year
be self-funding your studies
have, or expect to achieve, a minimum of IELTS 6.0 (5.5 in all areas) or equivalent*
be classed as an international student for fees purposes
be able to pay any additional fees your course may require, for example field trips

Eligible groups
All citizens of ANY non-EU country is eligible

Participating Institutions
Sheffield Hallam University, U.K.

Fields of study
All full-time postgraduate and undergraduate taught courses are eligible

Number of awards
Not specified by provider, but several expected to be given

Sponsorship duration
Covers the whole duration of studies

Scholarship benefits
The scholarships include a one-year FULL TUITION FEE WAIVER for full-time taught postgraduate courses and 50% TUITION FEE DISCOUNT for each year of an undergraduate course (subject to successful progression).

A package of incentives is to be confirmed, but will include: the opportunity to become an alumni ambassador back in your home country, a programme of events which aims to enhance your learning and social experience with fellow scholars, AND a Sheffield Hallam University hoodie.

Successful scholars will be expected to represent Sheffield Hallam University through various activities during the academic year and after graduation.

Method of Application
If you meet the scholarship eligibility criteria required, and apply to and are offered a course of study, you can go ahead to download the 'Scholarship Application Form' from the official website (link to it is below).

If you have not yet applied for a course, please visit the university online prospectus to find a course of your interest and apply.

It is important to visit the official website (link to it is below) to download the application 'Application Form' and for detailed information on how to apply for this scholarship.

DEADLINES:
Scholarship applications for taught courses starting in September 2016 must be submitted by 31st May 2016. Scholarship applications for taught courses starting in January 2017 must be submitted by 1st November 2016.

PLEASE NOTE:
A panel will review the applications and following a competitive process they will award scholarships to well–qualified students who demonstrate academic, personal or professional achievement on their scholarship application form. You will be notified if you have been successful approximately one month after the deadline.

If you cannot download the application form, or have any other enquiries about the scholarships, please email ias@shu.ac.uk. Alternatively, you may use the contact on the official web site.

Application Deadline: 31 May / 1 November 2016
Open to International Applicants: Yes



http://www.shu.ac.uk/international/scholarships-bursaries/transform.html

The Minister of health called on citizens who have symptoms of Lassa fever to call any of the ten (10) numbers 097000010 to 19 from anywhere in the country and such will be directed to the appropriate state epidemiologist or refer them to the nearest health facility.

The Minister also said, where possible, patients could be picked-up from their locations and taken to the nearest health facility. He assured the public that any one that uses this call facility will certainly receive help.

Journalism Fellowships: Applications are invited for 9 months Knight Science Journalism Fellowship Programme for the year 2016. Applicants of all nationalities are eligible to apply for this fellowship programme.

Through a combination of fellowships, grants, workshops and other support, the Knight Science Journalism Program at MIT seeks to nurture and enhance the ability of journalists from around the world to accurately document the often complex intersection of science, technology and human culture.

The Knight Science Journalism Program at MIT, founded more than thirty years ago, seeks to nurture and enhance the ability of journalists from around the world to accurately document and illuminate the often complex intersection of Science, Technology and Human Culture.

Applicants must be reporters, writers, editors, producers, illustrators, filmmakers, or photojournalists. They may work for newspapers, magazines, television, radio, and digital media.

Course Level: This is a 9 months fellowships programme offered to journalists.

Study Subject: The Knight Science Journalism Fellowship Programme supports a global community of dedicated and thoughtful journalists specializing in science, health, technology and environmental reporting.

Scholarship Award: Fellows receive a stipend of $70,000 as well as some additional benefits, including basic health insurance. As such, Fellows must refrain from paid professional work during the course of the 9-month program, unless the program director grants prior permission.

Scholarship can be taken at: USA (Boston)

Eligibility: To be eligible for a Knight Fellowship, applicants must:
-Be full-time journalists, whether on staff or freelance. Part-time writers or producers are not eligible.
-Have at least three full years of experience covering science, technology, the environment, or medicine.
-Be reporters, writers, editors, producers, illustrators, filmmakers, or photojournalists. They may work for newspapers, magazines, television, radio, and digital media.
To be awarded a Fellowship, selected applicants must agree to the following requirements:
-To reside full-time in the Boston/Cambridge area for the academic year: August 15 through May 15.
-To attend field trips, seminars, and required training sessions arranged by the Knight Science Journalism Fellowships.
-To participate in at least one science course per semester.
-To produce two short journalistic works for the programme’s magazine, Undark, during the academic year.
-To refrain from professional work during the Fellowship, unless written permission has been granted by the Director.
-International candidates must obtain a J-1 visa from the U.S. State Department after being awarded the Fellowship.

Nationality: Applicants of all nationalities are eligible to apply for this fellowship programme.

College Admission Requirement

Entrance Requirements: Applicants must be full-time journalists, whether on staff or freelance. Part-time writers or producers are not eligible.

Supporting Material: In the course of completing the online application form, applicants will be asked to submit several supporting documents. For each required document, applicants can either upload a PDF file, or type (or copy/paste) the document’s contents into the text area provided. File formats other than PDF are not accepted.
-The following documents are required for 9-Month Fellowship applications: Professional Autobiography: Provide a brief statement (1 page maximum) about why applicants want to participate in the Knight Science Journalism fellowship program and how it would fit with their professional goals.
-Resume or Curriculum Vitae: Be sure to include their education and work history. (Freelancers should include a list of freelance jobs in the last 12 months. Include each story, venue, and date of publication or broadcast.)
-Undark proposal: Each semester, Knight Fellows will be required to develop and produce, in consultation with the publication’s editor(s), an essay, feature story, multimedia package, or other contribution to the program’s forthcoming science magazine, Undark. Describe one story or project applicants might like to pursue during ytheir time in Cambridge. Information on the magazine’s format and editorial mission can be found here.
-Work samples: Five work samples are required. Choose samples that best illustrate applicants interest and abilities. If work samples are not in English, a translation must also be submitted.
-Recommendations: Three letters of recommendation are required. Letters should come from individuals familiar with applicants work and should comment on their abilities and their commitment to journalism.



https://fellows.knightscience.org/

The Minister of health called on citizens who have symptoms of Lassa fever to call any of the ten (10) numbers 097000010 to 19 from anywhere in the country and such will be directed to the appropriate state epidemiologist or refer them to the nearest health facility.

The Minister also said, where possible, patients could be picked-up from their locations and taken to the nearest health facility. He assured the public that any one that uses this call facility will certainly receive help.

VLIR-UOS Training and Masters Scholarships

Course(s) Offered: Development-related fields
Course Level: Graduate (training, masters)
Provider: VLIR-UOS
Country to Study in: Belgium

Scholarship Description
VLIR-UOS awards scholarships to students from developing countries to study for a masters or training programme at a Flemish university or university college in Flanders (i.e. Belgium).

Fifty-four countries in Africa, Asia and Latin-America benefit, and eligible training or master programmes are taught in English.

The master programmes focus on specific problems of developing countries and are designed to enable graduates assume positions of responsibility to share and apply acquired knowledge in their home country.

The shorter training programmes focus on updating and acquiring knowledge, and also skills transfer relevant to people working in their home country.

VLIR-UOS Training and Masters Scholarships in Belgium for Africans, Asians and Latin-Americans

Eligibility
You can only apply for a scholarship if you meet the following requisites.

You must:

Be national and resident of one of the 54 eligible countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America at the moment of application. It is not necessary to be resident and national of the same country, so long as it concerns one of the 54 eligible countries. See the country list.
Age: 40 years* or less for a Master programme or 45 years* or less for a training (* on 1 January of the year of the start of the course).
Meet the academic admission criteria set by the university or university college, concerning educational background, language proficiency, etc. You can find the academic admission criteria on the programme websites.
For a Master programme: not have been enrolled in a Master programme (or equivalent) at a Belgian university before (with or without a scholarship).
Not work in the commercial profit sector, as we target candidates from education and research institutions, the government sector, social economy and NGOs.
For a training: have relevant professional experience and a written (future) employer’s statement of (re)integration in an employment where the acquired knowledge and skills will be immediately applicable. The statement should also confirm the added value of the training for the candidate and the organization.
You can only apply for one training or master programme per year.
You can only be awarded a VLIR-UOS scholarship for a training once. You can only be awarded a VLIR-UOS scholarship for a Master programme once.

For complete eligibility requirements (including selection criteria), please visit the eligibility criteria page.

Eligible groups
Citizens and residents of the following 54 countries are eligible:

AFRICA: Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, DR Congo, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Kenya, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Morocco, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, Tunisia, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, South Africa,
ASIA: Bangladesh, Cambodia, Philippines, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Laos, Nepal, Palestinian Territories, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Vietnam,
LATIN AMERICA: Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Haiti, Mexico, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay,

Participating Institution(s)
All Belgian academic institutions and universities are eligible

Fields of study/Programmes
This scholarship supports development-related courses or fields (7 training and 15 masters). The supported programmes focus on specific problems of developing countries and/or are relevant to developing countries in a more general sense.

Below is a list of the training (ITP) and master (ICP) programmes eligible for the current scholarship award. All programmes are organized at a Belgian Dutch speaking university, but taught in English.

A). International Master Programmes (1 year):

Master of Science in Development Evaluation and Management
Master of Science in Globalisation and Development
Master of Science in Governance and Development
Master of Science in Human Settlements

B). International Master Programmes (2 years)

Master of Science in Nutrition and Rural Development, main subject: Human Nutrition
Master of Science in Physical Land Resources
Master of Science in Biology – Specialisation Human Ecology
Master of Science in Statistics – Specialisation Biostatistics
Master of Science in Environmental Sanitation
Master of Science in Food Technology
Master of Science in Molecular Biology (IPMB)
Master of Science in Water Resources Engineering
Master of Science in Marine and Lacustrine Science and Management (Oceans & Lakes)

C). International Training Programmes (1-4 months)

Dairy Nutrition
Technology for Integrated Water Management
Food Safety, Quality Assurance Systems and Risk Analysis
Lib@Web : Management of Electronic Information and Digital Libraries
Human Rights for Development (‘HR4DEV’)
Road safety in Low and Middle-Income Countries: Challenges and Strategies for Improvement
AudioVisual Learning Materials – Media and Learning Unit (AVLM)

Please visit the official website via link provided below for full details of the listed eligible Programmes.

Number of Awards
Every academic year, VLIR-UOS awards up to 180 scholarships to first-year masters students and up to 70 scholarships to training participants.

Sponsorship duration
The master programmes will last for one or two academic years while the shorter training programmes will last one to four months.

Scholarship benefits
This is a FULL COST scholarship covering all related expenses. It covers allowance, travel costs, accommodation, insurance, tuition fees, and other program related costs.

Method of Application
You can only apply for one ICP or ITP (International Courses or International Training Programme). You can apply for a scholarship by following the guidelines for application on the website of the training or master programme of your interest.

Applications that are sent to VLIR-UOS directly by the candidate will not be considered. In case of doubt, please contact the training or master programme. You will find all relevant contact details on the official website (link to it is below).

DEADLINES:
A call for scholarship applications is launched every year in October. The deadline depends on the training or Master programme you are applying for. Check the website of the training or scholarship programme via link provided below to find out more details.

On a general note, however, applications will open approximately in October-November 2015 (for Masters) and December 2015 (for training). Deadline varies (depending on the programme of study from January to April 2016).

PLEASE NOTE:
50% of scholarships will be offered to African students and preference will be given for Women.

Candidates selected for a VLIR-UOS scholarship will be contacted by VLIR-UOS around mid June at the latest, in order to start up the visa and flight procedure. All scholars are obliged to return to their country of origin as soon as possible after the study or training programme has ended.

VLIR-UOS funds and facilitates academic cooperation and exchange between higher education institutions in Flanders (Belgium) and those in developing countries, aiming to build capacity, knowledge and experience for a sustainable development.

VLIR-UOS was founded by the Flemish Interuniversity Council (VLIR), an overarching consultative organization between the Flemish universities and the Belgian government.

For questions regarding the application for a specific training or master programme, please find the contact information on the website of the training or master programme.

VLIR-UOS also funds the Short Training Scholarships, ICP PhD Scholarships and Short Research Stays for citizens of developing countries.

Application Deadline: January - April 2016
Open to International students: Yes



http://www.scholarships.vliruos.be/scholarships

Rotary Foundation Grants

Course(s) Offered: Any six areas of focus
Course Level: Graduate (masters, phd), Projects, Training
Provider: The Rotary Foundation
Country to Study in: Any Country

Scholarship Description
Beginning from 2013-14 and onwards, the Rotary Foundation will offer scholarship opportunities through the Rotary Foundation Global Grants only. The former Rotary Foundation Ambassadorial Scholarship program ended in 2012-13, and the new Rotary Foundation Global Grants program (outlined below) commenced thereafter.

The Rotary Global Grants may be used (for Students, Projects and Vocations) to fund and support humanitarian projects, scholarships for graduate academic studies, AND vocational training opportunities in any approved location in the world.

Rotary Foundation Global Grants

Eligibility/ General criteria
The Rotary Foundation District Grants and Rotary Foundation Global Grants support a wide variety of humanitarian and educational activities in local communities and abroad.

Applicants may NOT be:

a Rotarian;
an employee of a club, district, or any other Rotary entity, or of Rotary International;
the spouse, a lineal descendant, or an ancestor (parent or grandparent by blood) of any person in the forgoing two categories.

Applicants must study outside of their home country. Applicants must provide proof of university admission to a graduate-level program or letter of invitation to conduct postgraduate-level research when applying for the grant. Admission that requires a guarantee of financial support is acceptable. An applicant’s previous work or volunteer experience, academic program, and career plans should be strongly aligned with one of the six areas of focus.

Activities under Global grants should align with one or more of Rotary’s areas of focus, must be sustainable and measurable (i.e. ‎How will a scholar’s studies support one or more of the areas of focus?), and should stem from real community needs.

For complete eligibility criteria, please refer to the scholarship page of the Rotary Club/District’s where you intend to apply.

Eligible groups
Non-members of Rotary sponsored/nominated by a Rotary Club OR Members of Rotary Clubs in Selected Districts (found in about 70 countries)

Participating Institutions
Any approved University located in a qualifying country, outside of the applicant’s home country

Fields of study
Global Grants can be used to fund scholarships with sustainable, high-impact outcomes in one of Rotary’s six areas of focus:

Peace and conflict prevention/resolution
Disease prevention and treatment
Water and sanitation
Maternal and child health
Basic education and literacy
Economic and community development

Number of awards
Not specified by provider

Sponsorship duration
Academic studies for a term of one to four academic years

Scholarship benefits
The minimum budget for a global grant activity is $30,000. The Foundation’s World Fund provides a minimum of $15,000 and maximum of $200,000.

The scholarship can fund the following:
Passport/visa, Inoculations, Travel expenses (as specified in the grant terms and conditions), School supplies, Tuition, Room and board, Household supplies, Language training courses (but not if university admission is contingent on improvement of language skills). Most personal and miscellaneous expenses are not covered by the scholarship funding.

Generally, the Global grants may be used for:

Humanitarian projects: provided that they:
Support the goals of one or more of the areas of focus
Produce measurable outcomes in the benefiting community
Achieve results that can be sustained after the grant funds have been expended
Have been developed in conjunction with the benefiting community to address their most pressing needs
Seek to address community needs in an integrated manner
Scholarships funding for academic studies: provided that they:
Fund graduate-level study that relates to one or more of the areas of focus
Fund studies for a term of one to four academic years
Sponsor the academic studies of an individual traveling from the international sponsor district to the host sponsor district
Vocational training opportunities: support vocational training teams, which are groups of professionals traveling abroad to either learn more about their profession or teach local professionals about a particular field.

Method of Application
The application involves a two-step online process: a Proposal and an Application.

You can contact the Rotary clubs in your respective local areas/countries (using the Rotary Club Locator) to inquire on how to be sponsored for the grant. Scholars must submit individual applications to supplement the overall grant application. Each Rotary Club/District might have its own specific timeline.

It is important to read the 'Rotary Grants Terms and Conditions' (available on the official website) and visit the official website (link to it is below) for complete details on how to apply for the global scholarship grants.

DEADLINES:
Each Rotary Club/District might have its own specific timeline. Thus, Rotary Foundation Global Grant applications will be accepted on a rolling basis throughout the year.

Global grant scholarship applications are accepted on a rolling basis throughout the year but applications should be submitted at least three months before the scholar’s intended departure date to allow adequate time for Foundation review and processing.

PLEASE NOTE:
Rotary started with the vision of one man—Paul P. Harris - a Chicago attorney who formed one of the world’s first service organizations, the Rotary Club of Chicago, on 23 February 1905.

Application Deadline: Rolling (varies / ongoing)
Open to International Applicants: Yes



https://www.rotary.org/myrotary/en/take-action/apply-grants

bashdawodu:
We appreciate the fact that lagos state is experienced with dealing with an epidemic.I recall that the lagos state ministry of health got a lot of praise for the handling of Ebola.I am positive this lassa fever virus will be curtailed.

Our government should ensure that enough attention and resources should be given to the public health system, not just this quick fix approach!

Prevention is far less expensive than cure, if there is any.[i][/i]

Preamble: Lagos State has recorded 14 suspected cases of Lassa Fever as at January 21, 2016, since the outbreak of the disease in the Country in November, 2015

Three (3) of the suspected cases were confirmed positive of Lasssa Fever. One (1) case was confirmed on the 15th January 2016 and two (2) cases were confirmed on 18th January 2016.Eight ( suspected cases tested negative, while we are awaiting results for the remaining three (3) suspected cases.

The Ministry has line listed 447 contacts of the confirmed cases and 438 (98%) of the contacts are currently being monitored.

II SUSCEPTED CASES

LOCATION SUSPECTED CASES OUTCOME


Orile GH 1 1 negative


Ahmaddiya Hospital 2 1 positive

1 negative


Alimosho 2 2 pending


Mushin 2 1 negative

1 pending


Amuwo 5 1 positive

4 negative


Eti Osa 1 1 positive


Mainland 1 negative



TOTAL 14 3 positive, 8 negative, 3 pending.







III. Confirmed cases

The three confirmed cases are not related in terms of source of infections.

Case 1

Background

The patient, a 25 year old, male, undergraduate of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna was first admitted at State was reported to Ahmmadiyyah Hospital, Ojokoro on the 9th of January, 2016 and later referred to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) on the 14th of January, 2016. He was confirmed as a case of Lassa fever on the 15th of January, 2016 at LUTH.

Present condition

The patient is presently being managed at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), has had antiviral medication for 7 days and his condition is stable and he is ambulating.

Case 2

Background

A 51 year old man who lived in Ilasan Lekki came back from Edo where he attended a wedding ceremony on December 28, 2015. He was initially admitted at Divine Medical Centre in Ikoyi on January 12, 2016 and referred to Mainland Hospital Yaba early January 18, 2016. The patient died at 2pm same day before the result of the laboratory test that confirmed him positive of Lassa Fever was received.

Present condition

The patient has been kept in the morgue in leak proof body bag. He is to be buried today after due consultation with his family.

Case 3

Background

A 36 year old Lady a native of Kogi State, first presented at Naval Reference Hospital, Ojo, on January 18, 2016 and referred to Mainland Hospital later same day.

Present Condition

The patient is being managed at Mainland Hospital and has received antivral medication for 5 days. Her condition is stable and she is ambulating.

IV. Contacts Line Listed and Being Monitored.

A total of 447 cases have been line listed out of which 438 are being monitored as shown in the table below:


CONFIRMED CASE CONTACTS LINE LISTED CONTACTS BEING MONITORED

CASE 1 Ifako Ijaiye: 100 Ifako Ijaiye: 91

Mushin: 18 Mushin: 18

Alimosho: 42 Alimosho: 42

Kosofe: 1 Kosofe: 1

Sub-Total: 161 Sub-Total: 152







CASE 2 Eti-Osa: 66 Eti-Osa: 66

Sub- Total: 66 Sub- Total: 66






CASE 3 Amuwo: 220 Amuwo: 220

Sub-Total: 220 Sub-Total: 220








TOTAL 447 438



V. Other Prevention and Control Interventions by the Ministry

In view of the confirmation of cases of Lassa Fever, the Lagos State Government has called on residents of the State to be calm assuring them that both the State and Federal Governments are doing everything possible to control the spread of the Lassa virus. In line with international standards, the contacts of the patient are being tracked for follow-up. Meanwhile, drugs and other materials have also been prepositioned at our designated facilities; and isolation centres have been prepared to manage suspected and confirmed cases.

In addition, the government is implementing the following:

· Establishment of an Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) at the Ministry of Health (Conference Room). Holding of debriefing meeting daily at 6pm.

· Constitute teams to embark on intensive contact tracing.

· Request for more Ribavirin Injection & Tablets, PPEs and other items from FMOH.

· Step up community sensitization interventions.

· Take stock of all infection prevention commodities lie PPEs, Lea Proof Body Bags etc.

· Redistribute Fact Sheets and protocols for managing Viral Haemorrhagic Fevers to all facilities (public and private)

· Redesign template for Data Management.

· Intensify Disease Surveillance activities for prompt detection of any new case.


http://www.dosunmukazeem.com

HEALTH Minister, Prof. Isaac Adewole, has lamented what he described as the culture of silence permeating the Nigerian society in reaction to the outbreak of Lassa fever pandemics in the country.

Speaking with State House correspondents after the signing of the updated memorandum of understanding at the Presidential Villa, the minister cited the case of Ebonyi State, which had so far recorded about five cases of Lassa fever but never cared to report to his ministry for necessary action.

The minister denied that cases of Lassa fever were hidden, but admitted they were not brought to the public knowledge until it became late.

His words: “Not that they were hidden but they were never brought to public knowledge. There is also what we can consider to be culture of silence in some of our states. For example, we recognised Ebonyi State as one of the endemic states. And since the outbreak, Ebonyi has not recorded a single case or reported a single case. We despatched our surveillance team to Ebonyi and we discovered five cases.

“We cannot win the battle against Lassa fever the same way we won the one against Ebola. Ebola happened to be a single importation to Nigeria. Lassa fever is endemic in Nigeria. In 2012, we had upsurge in 26 states. So, it is there but I can assure you that with what we put in place this year, we will sign it off.”

He said the Federal Government was determined to get to the root of the issue, saying: “What we want to do is put across some innovative funding mechanisms, ability to manage and put to use 10,000 primary healthcare centres across the country over the next two years. In the 100 days, we will flag off 110 of these centres.

“We will start with the one in Fuka where we had this outbreak. We will do one per senatorial district, 109 to make 110 in 100 days. This year alone, we will do 5,000.”

Meanwhile, the management of the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex (OAUTHC) yesterday said that laboratory test conducted on a resident doctor who died in the hospital on Monday confirmed that the doctor’s death was caused by the deadly Lassa fever.

The Chairman of a committee set up by the OAUTHC on Lassa fever, Prof. Adedeji Onayade, confirmed the development yesterday, saying the result of the first test carried out on the sample of the deceased tested positive.

He said: “We have a report back and the result came as positive. We were supposed to do two tests but the patient was dying when we took the first sample.

“We can’t do the second test now. So, we can say it is 50 per cent but we are going ahead to take necessary steps. We have informed all those who should know.”

Prof. Onayade however said there was no cause for panic by the hospital workers, patients and the public as a result of the development.

However, fears gripped many residents of Ekiti State yesterday as the state government announced that one person might have been dead and two others diagnosed of the dreaded Lassa fever.

The state governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, who made the disclosure in a statewide broadcast, however, warned people of the state not to expose their food items for rats and other rodents to have contact with. He also directed health workers to embark on massive sensitisation of the people.

Besides, the state Commissioner for Heath, Dr. Olurotimi Ojo, said the blood sample of the person suspected to have died of the disease at Ekiti State Teaching Hospital (EKSTH) had been sent to the laboratory for confirmation.

In another development, the Kogi State government, in partnership with the Federal Medical Centre in Lokoja, has taken a proactive measure against the dreaded Lassa fever by setting up a Barrier Nursing Unit, known as Isolation Centre, at the hospital.

The state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Idris Omede, who made the disclosure in an interview with The Guardian, said though the state is not on danger list, they have to make adequate preparations against any possible outbreak.

He said: “There is a good relationship between us and the Federal Medical Centre where a Barrier Nursing Unit or Isolation Unit has been created for care of cases if they occur. The media has been very proactive acting as a real bridge in creating more awareness.”


http://www.dosunmukazeem.com

The Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan (CSFP) is a unique programme. Since its establishment in 1959, it has provided opportunities for over 30,000 citizens of all Commonwealth countries to study in other member countries.

Following the establishment of the CSFP endowment fund in 2009, a new strand of Commonwealth Scholarships located in low and middle income countries is available.
2016 Commonwealth Scholarships

Applications are now open for Master’s scholarships for courses beginning in mid-2016 in:

Bangladesh
Ghana
Kenya
Lesotho
Malawi
Pakistan
Rwanda
Swaziland
Uganda

Closing date for applications: 29 February 2016

Eligibility criteria

Applicants must be a citizen of any Commonwealth country other than the host country.
Applicants must hold a first degree of upper second class standard (or above) in a discipline relevant to that in which study is proposed

The scholarships provide

Return economy airfare from the scholar’s home country to the host country
An arrival allowance of USD 500 to cover removal costs
Full tuition fees
A monthly/quarterly stipend intended to cover living costs, sustenance and local transport. Scholars will need to cover accommodation costs from their stipend.



https://www.acu.ac.uk/focus-areas/scholarships/commonwealth-scholarships/

vicstar:
dat shiiit aint for me and ma household!

It's here already, Let's do the needful to prevent the spread of this disease. Denial won't assist!

Following the level of anxiety being expressed by people all over the country on the epidemics of Lassa fever currently being experienced in various states of the federation, the Nigeria Medical Association has deemed it proper that we make a press statement for everyone in these regards. NMA fully commends the efforts of President Mohammadu BUHARI, GCFR for his moral, timely and financial support towards curtailing the unfortunate Lassa epidemic. We also commend and associate with the Honourable Ministers of Health for their tireless efforts towards nipping the Lassa epidemic in the bud. Their public enlightenment and proactiveness on this epidemic have been most heart warming. This is in addition, and without any prejudice whatsoever, to any other ones being made by the various governments, agencies and bodies in the country. In order to compliment the various efforts of the agencies of Government, the Nigerian Medical Association wish to make the following declarations:

1. Lassa fever is an endemic (locally common) disease discovered as one of the new or emerging diseases since the 1950s or so. The first episode from which the virus causing it was identified was that of missionary Christian health workers in Lassa town in present Borno State of Nigeria and from which town’s name the disease got its name in 1969.
2. Lassa fever is a zoonotic viral infection; in other words, a disease whose primary host is an animal, namely the multimammate rats (i.e., with double row of breasts under her female body) called Mastomys. These rats naturally live in bushes around human homes and visit such homes occasionally for extra food to eat
3. Human beings get infected with this virus from the contamination of their food or other edibles by the urine and other body excretions of these rats – on their foods, drinks, etc, – usually not properly hygienically stored; i.e., uncovered food!
4. The dry season (such as we now are in) is usually the highest season of Lassa fever because of bush burning that drive these rats from the bushes into the homes, preferably. Other local and cultural habits of drying foods on the roads, streets and even around houses, carelessly (e.g., yam, cassava, plantain and other chips for making local flours for eating or selling) also provide avenues for the spread of the virus.
5. Lassa fever, in the vast majority (some 80%) of cases, passes on un-noticed – with mild fevers, body aches, tiredness, loss of appetite, etc, as for many locally common diseases; and so, remain unnoticed. However in severe cases, these will progress with sore throat, cough, vomiting, diarrhoea and unexplained bleeding from different body openings such as nose, anus, vagina and many others as a result of damage of many body organs caused by this virus. In these cases, mortality (death) rates from the disease may rise rapidly to high levels of up to 50% or more. Late reporting or hiding cases of the disease at home and so multiplying the infection is usually the reason for these types of high mortality rates.
6. Hospital or other man-to-man transmission of the infection follow contamination with food or body fluid transfers, providing the reasons why home members and health workers wherever Lassa fever subjects exist or are taken for came must all practice the highest levels of personal and/or professional hygiene.
7. Outside of Bauchi, Kano, Nasarawa, Niger, Edo and the other states in which the current epidemics are noted, all should know that no state in Nigeria should relax that they are not involved or affected. Lassa fever is not exclusive to any state because of the random population-mixing pattern in the country. In fact ALL the states have the potential to be at risk of being affected if we neglect to observe basic personal and communal hygienic practices at the individual, family and community levels.

So we advise all and sundry in this country at this time as follows:
1. The Federal Government and her Minister and Ministry of Health have risen up and are performing up to task on this matter so far – since the notification of the disease came to their attention. Nobody needs to panic on the matter now!
2. Individual states, local governments, communities, societies, families and individuals should rise up and reciprocate these responses by doing the following:

To individuals
1. Listen to the radios, TV and other mass media and keep yourselves properly informed on the present Lassa situation in the country as well as especially what you should do in the interval.
2. Improve/increase in your personal hygiene along the lines outlined above as well as help your relatives, neighbours and friends to do the same.
3. Ensure that your house is free from rats, all foods and drinks properly covered and/or stored, as may be needed.
4. Encourage all cases of fevers to attend a medical and properly manned health facility very early.
5. Do not eat rats and improve rat control in your personal houses.

To families:
1. Ensure that everybody in your family improves on their personal and group hygiene as outlined above.
2. Do not partake in food drying in the streets, roads and such other places open for bush rat visitations.
3. Ensure that all fevers or illnesses with symptoms as described above are taken promptly to medical facilities for early diagnosis and treatment as appropriate.

To communities:
1. Encourage the cessation of free bush burning in your communities.
2. Discourage the drying of food materials in the open streets and roads.
3. Help to see that all cases of fevers (and other symptoms as listed above) are reported early to hospitals and that your village and LGA Health and Development Committees assist to ensure that your hospitals and health centres are equipped, staffed and made to run properly especially in regard of Lassa and other epidemic diseases.

To local governments:
1. Ensure that your health facilities are staffed, equipped and run properly in regard of Lassa and other such epidemic diseases
2. See to it that all rampant bush burning in the LGA are stopped or reasonably controlled.
3. Ensure that the drying or cassava, yam and other food chips on the roads and streets is stopped completely or at least reasonably controlled.
4. Help to see that all fevers in the LGA go to the health facilities very early and that all notifiable diseases are so notified by the health facilities in your LGA

To state governments:
1. Increase your public education especially in all state-owned mass media; increase disease notification and surveillance activities, especially in regard of Lassa and the other epidemic diseases
2. Endeavour to resuscitate your state hospital for infectious diseases – as Lagos State has at Yaba and which played such tremendous role in the curtailing of the Ebola epidemic of 2014 in the country.
3. Seek to establish your state Primary Health Care Agencies as soonest as possible, optimise them and seek to fully operationalise the ward-based PHC system with community nurse-midwives at these wards as well as the medical officer of health for each LGA, besides the other health facility-based health workers.

To the Federal Government:
1. Please continue in the good efforts that you have brought to the present epidemic.
2. Get the remaining three reported laboratories in the country that is able to identify the Lassa fever virus to full operation and/or establish new ones to augment these. This is very important in the Calabar-Enugu-Makurdi-Yola-Maiduguri axis of the country to augment the presently functioning ones in Lagos, Ibadan, Irrua, Port Harcourt, Abuja and Kano.

To health workers
1. Please remember that this is your vocation; and a challenge like this one is actually an opportunity to do your best and to shine
2. Revise your training in the infectious diseases and standard and universal precautions in these regards and do so all of the time and with every patient care.




http://www.dosunmukazeem.com

Following the level of anxiety being expressed by people all over the country on the epidemics of Lassa fever currently being experienced in various states of the federation, the Nigeria Medical Association has deemed it proper that we make a press statement for everyone in these regards. NMA fully commends the efforts of President Mohammadu BUHARI, GCFR for his moral, timely and financial support towards curtailing the unfortunate Lassa epidemic. We also commend and associate with the Honourable Ministers of Health for their tireless efforts towards nipping the Lassa epidemic in the bud. Their public enlightenment and proactiveness on this epidemic have been most heart warming. This is in addition, and without any prejudice whatsoever, to any other ones being made by the various governments, agencies and bodies in the country. In order to compliment the various efforts of the agencies of Government, the Nigerian Medical Association wish to make the following declarations:

1. Lassa fever is an endemic (locally common) disease discovered as one of the new or emerging diseases since the 1950s or so. The first episode from which the virus causing it was identified was that of missionary Christian health workers in Lassa town in present Borno State of Nigeria and from which town’s name the disease got its name in 1969.
2. Lassa fever is a zoonotic viral infection; in other words, a disease whose primary host is an animal, namely the multimammate rats (i.e., with double row of breasts under her female body) called Mastomys. These rats naturally live in bushes around human homes and visit such homes occasionally for extra food to eat
3. Human beings get infected with this virus from the contamination of their food or other edibles by the urine and other body excretions of these rats – on their foods, drinks, etc, – usually not properly hygienically stored; i.e., uncovered food!
4. The dry season (such as we now are in) is usually the highest season of Lassa fever because of bush burning that drive these rats from the bushes into the homes, preferably. Other local and cultural habits of drying foods on the roads, streets and even around houses, carelessly (e.g., yam, cassava, plantain and other chips for making local flours for eating or selling) also provide avenues for the spread of the virus.
5. Lassa fever, in the vast majority (some 80%) of cases, passes on un-noticed – with mild fevers, body aches, tiredness, loss of appetite, etc, as for many locally common diseases; and so, remain unnoticed. However in severe cases, these will progress with sore throat, cough, vomiting, diarrhoea and unexplained bleeding from different body openings such as nose, anus, vagina and many others as a result of damage of many body organs caused by this virus. In these cases, mortality (death) rates from the disease may rise rapidly to high levels of up to 50% or more. Late reporting or hiding cases of the disease at home and so multiplying the infection is usually the reason for these types of high mortality rates.
6. Hospital or other man-to-man transmission of the infection follow contamination with food or body fluid transfers, providing the reasons why home members and health workers wherever Lassa fever subjects exist or are taken for came must all practice the highest levels of personal and/or professional hygiene.
7. Outside of Bauchi, Kano, Nasarawa, Niger, Edo and the other states in which the current epidemics are noted, all should know that no state in Nigeria should relax that they are not involved or affected. Lassa fever is not exclusive to any state because of the random population-mixing pattern in the country. In fact ALL the states have the potential to be at risk of being affected if we neglect to observe basic personal and communal hygienic practices at the individual, family and community levels.

So we advise all and sundry in this country at this time as follows:
1. The Federal Government and her Minister and Ministry of Health have risen up and are performing up to task on this matter so far – since the notification of the disease came to their attention. Nobody needs to panic on the matter now!
2. Individual states, local governments, communities, societies, families and individuals should rise up and reciprocate these responses by doing the following:

To individuals
1. Listen to the radios, TV and other mass media and keep yourselves properly informed on the present Lassa situation in the country as well as especially what you should do in the interval.
2. Improve/increase in your personal hygiene along the lines outlined above as well as help your relatives, neighbours and friends to do the same.
3. Ensure that your house is free from rats, all foods and drinks properly covered and/or stored, as may be needed.
4. Encourage all cases of fevers to attend a medical and properly manned health facility very early.
5. Do not eat rats and improve rat control in your personal houses.

To families:
1. Ensure that everybody in your family improves on their personal and group hygiene as outlined above.
2. Do not partake in food drying in the streets, roads and such other places open for bush rat visitations.
3. Ensure that all fevers or illnesses with symptoms as described above are taken promptly to medical facilities for early diagnosis and treatment as appropriate.

To communities:
1. Encourage the cessation of free bush burning in your communities.
2. Discourage the drying of food materials in the open streets and roads.
3. Help to see that all cases of fevers (and other symptoms as listed above) are reported early to hospitals and that your village and LGA Health and Development Committees assist to ensure that your hospitals and health centres are equipped, staffed and made to run properly especially in regard of Lassa and other epidemic diseases.

To local governments:
1. Ensure that your health facilities are staffed, equipped and run properly in regard of Lassa and other such epidemic diseases
2. See to it that all rampant bush burning in the LGA are stopped or reasonably controlled.
3. Ensure that the drying or cassava, yam and other food chips on the roads and streets is stopped completely or at least reasonably controlled.
4. Help to see that all fevers in the LGA go to the health facilities very early and that all notifiable diseases are so notified by the health facilities in your LGA

To state governments:
1. Increase your public education especially in all state-owned mass media; increase disease notification and surveillance activities, especially in regard of Lassa and the other epidemic diseases
2. Endeavour to resuscitate your state hospital for infectious diseases – as Lagos State has at Yaba and which played such tremendous role in the curtailing of the Ebola epidemic of 2014 in the country.
3. Seek to establish your state Primary Health Care Agencies as soonest as possible, optimise them and seek to fully operationalise the ward-based PHC system with community nurse-midwives at these wards as well as the medical officer of health for each LGA, besides the other health facility-based health workers.

To the Federal Government:
1. Please continue in the good efforts that you have brought to the present epidemic.
2. Get the remaining three reported laboratories in the country that is able to identify the Lassa fever virus to full operation and/or establish new ones to augment these. This is very important in the Calabar-Enugu-Makurdi-Yola-Maiduguri axis of the country to augment the presently functioning ones in Lagos, Ibadan, Irrua, Port Harcourt, Abuja and Kano.

To health workers
1. Please remember that this is your vocation; and a challenge like this one is actually an opportunity to do your best and to shine
2. Revise your training in the infectious diseases and standard and universal precautions in these regards and do so all of the time and with every patient care.



http://www.dosunmukazeem.com

Following the level of anxiety being expressed by people all over the country on the epidemics of Lassa fever currently being experienced in various states of the federation, the Nigeria Medical Association has deemed it proper that we make a press statement for everyone in these regards. NMA fully commends the efforts of President Mohammadu BUHARI, GCFR for his moral, timely and financial support towards curtailing the unfortunate Lassa epidemic. We also commend and associate with the Honourable Ministers of Health for their tireless efforts towards nipping the Lassa epidemic in the bud. Their public enlightenment and proactiveness on this epidemic have been most heart warming. This is in addition, and without any prejudice whatsoever, to any other ones being made by the various governments, agencies and bodies in the country. In order to compliment the various efforts of the agencies of Government, the Nigerian Medical Association wish to make the following declarations:

1. Lassa fever is an endemic (locally common) disease discovered as one of the new or emerging diseases since the 1950s or so. The first episode from which the virus causing it was identified was that of missionary Christian health workers in Lassa town in present Borno State of Nigeria and from which town’s name the disease got its name in 1969.
2. Lassa fever is a zoonotic viral infection; in other words, a disease whose primary host is an animal, namely the multimammate rats (i.e., with double row of breasts under her female body) called Mastomys. These rats naturally live in bushes around human homes and visit such homes occasionally for extra food to eat
3. Human beings get infected with this virus from the contamination of their food or other edibles by the urine and other body excretions of these rats – on their foods, drinks, etc, – usually not properly hygienically stored; i.e., uncovered food!
4. The dry season (such as we now are in) is usually the highest season of Lassa fever because of bush burning that drive these rats from the bushes into the homes, preferably. Other local and cultural habits of drying foods on the roads, streets and even around houses, carelessly (e.g., yam, cassava, plantain and other chips for making local flours for eating or selling) also provide avenues for the spread of the virus.
5. Lassa fever, in the vast majority (some 80%) of cases, passes on un-noticed – with mild fevers, body aches, tiredness, loss of appetite, etc, as for many locally common diseases; and so, remain unnoticed. However in severe cases, these will progress with sore throat, cough, vomiting, diarrhoea and unexplained bleeding from different body openings such as nose, anus, vagina and many others as a result of damage of many body organs caused by this virus. In these cases, mortality (death) rates from the disease may rise rapidly to high levels of up to 50% or more. Late reporting or hiding cases of the disease at home and so multiplying the infection is usually the reason for these types of high mortality rates.
6. Hospital or other man-to-man transmission of the infection follow contamination with food or body fluid transfers, providing the reasons why home members and health workers wherever Lassa fever subjects exist or are taken for came must all practice the highest levels of personal and/or professional hygiene.
7. Outside of Bauchi, Kano, Nasarawa, Niger, Edo and the other states in which the current epidemics are noted, all should know that no state in Nigeria should relax that they are not involved or affected. Lassa fever is not exclusive to any state because of the random population-mixing pattern in the country. In fact ALL the states have the potential to be at risk of being affected if we neglect to observe basic personal and communal hygienic practices at the individual, family and community levels.

So we advise all and sundry in this country at this time as follows:
1. The Federal Government and her Minister and Ministry of Health have risen up and are performing up to task on this matter so far – since the notification of the disease came to their attention. Nobody needs to panic on the matter now!
2. Individual states, local governments, communities, societies, families and individuals should rise up and reciprocate these responses by doing the following:

To individuals
1. Listen to the radios, TV and other mass media and keep yourselves properly informed on the present Lassa situation in the country as well as especially what you should do in the interval.
2. Improve/increase in your personal hygiene along the lines outlined above as well as help your relatives, neighbours and friends to do the same.
3. Ensure that your house is free from rats, all foods and drinks properly covered and/or stored, as may be needed.
4. Encourage all cases of fevers to attend a medical and properly manned health facility very early.
5. Do not eat rats and improve rat control in your personal houses.

To families:
1. Ensure that everybody in your family improves on their personal and group hygiene as outlined above.
2. Do not partake in food drying in the streets, roads and such other places open for bush rat visitations.
3. Ensure that all fevers or illnesses with symptoms as described above are taken promptly to medical facilities for early diagnosis and treatment as appropriate.

To communities:
1. Encourage the cessation of free bush burning in your communities.
2. Discourage the drying of food materials in the open streets and roads.
3. Help to see that all cases of fevers (and other symptoms as listed above) are reported early to hospitals and that your village and LGA Health and Development Committees assist to ensure that your hospitals and health centres are equipped, staffed and made to run properly especially in regard of Lassa and other epidemic diseases.

To local governments:
1. Ensure that your health facilities are staffed, equipped and run properly in regard of Lassa and other such epidemic diseases
2. See to it that all rampant bush burning in the LGA are stopped or reasonably controlled.
3. Ensure that the drying or cassava, yam and other food chips on the roads and streets is stopped completely or at least reasonably controlled.
4. Help to see that all fevers in the LGA go to the health facilities very early and that all notifiable diseases are so notified by the health facilities in your LGA

To state governments:
1. Increase your public education especially in all state-owned mass media; increase disease notification and surveillance activities, especially in regard of Lassa and the other epidemic diseases
2. Endeavour to resuscitate your state hospital for infectious diseases – as Lagos State has at Yaba and which played such tremendous role in the curtailing of the Ebola epidemic of 2014 in the country.
3. Seek to establish your state Primary Health Care Agencies as soonest as possible, optimise them and seek to fully operationalise the ward-based PHC system with community nurse-midwives at these wards as well as the medical officer of health for each LGA, besides the other health facility-based health workers.

To the Federal Government:
1. Please continue in the good efforts that you have brought to the present epidemic.
2. Get the remaining three reported laboratories in the country that is able to identify the Lassa fever virus to full operation and/or establish new ones to augment these. This is very important in the Calabar-Enugu-Makurdi-Yola-Maiduguri axis of the country to augment the presently functioning ones in Lagos, Ibadan, Irrua, Port Harcourt, Abuja and Kano.

To health workers
1. Please remember that this is your vocation; and a challenge like this one is actually an opportunity to do your best and to shine
2. Revise your training in the infectious diseases and standard and universal precautions in these regards and do so all of the time and with every patient care.



http://www.dosunmukazeem.com

New Zealand Government is pleased to offer Commonwealth Scholarship and Fellowship Plan in 2017 academic session. Scholarships will be awarded to undertake Master’s or PhD studies in New Zealand.

New Zealand Scholarships empower individuals with the knowledge, skills and qualifications to contribute to economic, social and political development within selected developing countries.

The CSFP was established at the first Commonwealth education conference in 1959 and is reviewed by education ministers at their triennial meetings. The CSFP is the only scholarship scheme in the world to receive such high-level recognition.

Applicants must be applying for direct entry to a Masters or PhD programme at a New Zealand university. As a general rule, for those wishing to complete a postgraduate qualification an overall IELTS score of 6.5 and no band less than 6.0 is the minimum required.

Course Level: Scholarships are available for pursuing Master’s or PhD studies in New Zealand.

Study Subject(s): Scholarships are awarded in the subjects that are a priority for each country.

Scholarship Award: The entitlements of the Scholarship include full tuition fees, a living allowance (paid fortnightly), an establishment allowance, medical and travel insurance, travel between applicants home country and New Zealand at the start and end of scholarship, home leave or reunion travel for some eligible scholars, pastoral and academic support at applicants institution, and assistance with research and thesis costs for most postgraduate research students.
-A top quality education at one of New Zealand’s world-class tertiary institutes or a major Pacific education institution.
-Fully funded tuition
-Financial support including a fortnightly living allowance, an establishment allowance, medical and travel insurance, travel to and from home country at the start and end of scholarship, home leave or reunion travel for some students, and assistance with research and thesis costs for most postgraduate research students.
-Personal and academic support: They have international student advisors to help and support applicants with any issues with their scholarship, study or well-being. When studying in New Zealand applicants will also have the assurance of the Code of Practice for the Pastoral Care of International Students which sets minimum standards to ensure international students in New Zealand are well informed, safe and properly cared for by their education provider.
-Help getting prepared: To help aapplicants get prepared for studying in New Zealand, applicants will have a pre departure briefing in their home country, and applicants will get support when they arrive in New Zealand. They also offer a programme in New Zealand to help applicants prepare for academic studies here.

Scholarship can be taken at: New Zealand

Eligibility: If offered a Commonwealth Scholarship, candidates must:
-Applications must include an offer of place, even a conditional offer of place, from a New Zealand university.
-Applicants must make an early application for entry to a New Zealand university for their chosen programme of study to secure an offer of place.
-Applicants must be applying for direct entry to a masters or PhD programme at a New Zealand university.
-An offer of place from a New Zealand university must be for a Masters or PhD programme.

Nationality: The students of participating developing Commonwealth countries (Botswana, Antigua and Barbuda, Bangladesh, Cook Islands, Cameroon, Barbados, India, Kiribati, Ghana, Belize, Malaysia, Nauru, Kenya, Dominica, Maldives, Niue, Lesotho, Grenada, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Malawi, Guyana, Sri Lanka, Samoa, Mauritius, Jamaica, Solomon Islands, Mozambique, St Kitts and Nevis, Tokelau, Namibia, St Lucia, Tonga, Nigeria, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Tuvalu, Rwanda, Trinidad and Tobago, Vanuatu, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda and Zambia) can apply for these scholarships.

New Zealand CommonwealthCollege Admission Requirement

Entrance Requirement: Applicants must be applying for direct entry to a Masters or PhD programme at a New Zealand university.

Test Requirement: No

English Language Requirements: As a general rule, for those wishing to complete a postgraduate qualification an overall IELTS score of 6.5 and no band less than 6.0 is the minimum required.

International Fellowships

Supporting Material: In addition to the application form applicants need to provide an offer of place from a New Zealand institution and copies of their academic transcripts.

How to Apply: Applicants must send their completed applications to the Nominating Agency for their country, not to Universities NZ or to MFAT.

Application Form

Scholarship Application Deadline: Each Nominating Agency has been asked to set the closing date for applications for their country. To find out the closing date for their country applicants should contact their Nominating Agency.

Link: http://www.aid.govt.nz/funding-and-contracts/scholarships/types-scholarship/commonwealth-scholarships

Abirisegun:
Lassa fever matter for Job/Vacancy Section
What happen to Health and General Section?
Abegi, na Vacancy we need here

It's when you are hale and hearty that you will think of working or looking for a job. Please share the message, public health is our responsibilty regardless of the sections or.....

INTRODUCTION


It was first described in the 1950s, however the virus causing the disease was not identified until 1969, when it’s discovered in two missionary hospitals in the Lassa town of Borno State, the virus is a single-stranded RNA. Most of the people infected (about 80%) usually are not symptomatic. In severe cases, it can result in multi-organ damage.

Lassa fever is mainly found in Sierra Leone, Liberia, Guinea, and Nigeria and is spread by rats. Other neighbouring countries are also at risk because the type of rat that spreads the virus is also found throughout the West African region.

Because the clinical course of the disease is so variable, detection of the disease in affected patients has been difficult. However, when presence of the disease is confirmed in a community, prompt isolation of affected patients, good infection protection and control practices and rigorous contact tracing can stop outbreaks.
TRANSMISSION

It is, ‘zoonotic,’ or animal-borne. Lassa fever is endemic in parts of west Africa which include the following areas:

Liberia
Guinea
Nigeria
Sierra Leone

Humans usually become infected with Lassa virus from exposure to urine or faeces of infected Mastomys rats. Lassa virus may also be spread between humans through direct contact with the blood, urine, faeces, or other bodily secretions of a person infected with Lassa fever. There is no epidemiological evidence supporting airborne spread between humans. Person-to-person transmission occurs in both community and health-care settings, where the virus may be spread by contaminated medical equipment, such as re-used needles. Sexual transmission of Lassa virus has been reported.

Lassa fever occurs in all age groups and both sexes. Persons at greatest risk are those living in rural areas where Mastomys are usually found, especially in communities with poor sanitation or crowded living conditions. Health workers are at risk if caring for Lassa fever patients in the absence of proper barrier nursing and infection control practices.

The number of people who experience Lassa fever each year in west Africa is estimated to be between 100,000 and 300,000, with around 5,000 people dying from the virus.
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

The signs and symptoms of Lassa fever commonly happen 1-3 weeks after a person has come into contact with the virus. For most of those with a Lassa fever virus infection; around 80%, symptoms are mild and under-diagnosed. Mild symptoms include:

Weakness
Headaches
Slight fever
General malaise



Around 20% of infected people; however, the disease might progress to more serious symptoms which include:

Bleeding from the infected person’s eyes, gums, or nose and other parts of the body.
Repeated vomiting.
Respiratory distress.
Pain in the back, chest and abdomen.
Facial swelling and shock.
Neurological issues such as tremors, hearing loss and encephalitis.An infected person may die within two weeks of their initial symptoms because of multi-organ failure.The most common complication of Lassa fever is deafness. Different degrees of deafness happen in around one-third of those who become infected.

Between 15-20% of people who are hospitalized for Lassa fever die from the illness. Only 1% of all Lassa virus infections; however, result in the person’s death. The death rates for women in the third trimester of pregnancy are exceptionally high.
DIAGNOSIS

The symptoms of Lassa fever are varied and non-specific, clinical diagnosis is often difficult, especially early in the course of the disease.

Definitive diagnosis requires testing that is available only in specialized laboratories. Laboratory specimens may be hazardous and must be handled with extreme care. Lassa virus infections can only be diagnosed definitively in the laboratory using the following tests:

antibody enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)
antigen detection tests
reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay
virus isolation by cell culture.

TREATMENT

‘Ribavirin,’ is an antiviral drug that has been used with success in people affected by Lassa fever in its early stage.
Supportive care that consists of maintenance of:
1. Oxygenation.
2. Blood pressure.
3. Treatment of complicating infections.
4. Appropriate fluid and electrolyte balance.

PREVENTION

Prevention of Lassa fever relies on promoting good “community hygiene” to discourage rodents from entering homes. Effective measures include storing grain and other foodstuffs in rodent-proof containers, disposing of garbage far from the home, maintaining clean households and keeping cats. Because Mastomys are so abundant in endemic areas, it is not possible to completely eliminate them from the environment. Family members should always be careful to avoid contact with blood and body fluids while caring for sick persons.

In health-care settings, staff should always apply standard infection prevention and control precautions when caring for patients, regardless of their presumed diagnosis. These include basic hand hygiene, respiratory hygiene, use of personal protective equipment (to block splashes or other contact with infected materials), safe injection practices and safe burial practices.

Health workers caring for patients with suspected or confirmed Lassa fever should apply extra infection control measures to prevent contact with the patient’s blood and body fluids and contaminated surfaces or materials such as clothing and bedding. When in close contact (within 1 metre) of patients with Lassa fever, health-care workers should wear face protection (a face shield or a medical mask and goggles), a clean, non-sterile long-sleeved gown, and gloves (sterile gloves for some procedures).

Laboratory workers are also at risk. Samples taken from humans and animals for investigation of Lassa virus infection should be handled by trained staff and processed in suitably equipped laboratories.

On rare occasions, travellers from areas where Lassa fever is endemic export the disease to other countries. Although malaria, typhoid fever, and many other tropical infections are much more common, the diagnosis of Lassa fever should be considered in febrile patients returning from West Africa, especially if they have had exposures in rural areas or hospitals in countries where Lassa fever is known to be endemic. Health-care workers seeing a patient suspected to have Lassa fever should immediately contact local and national experts for advice and to arrange for laboratory testing.


http://www.dosunmukazeem.com/lassa-fever-what-you-should-know/

INTRODUCTION


It was first described in the 1950s, however the virus causing the disease was not identified until 1969, when it’s discovered in two missionary hospitals in the Lassa town of Borno State, the virus is a single-stranded RNA. Most of the people infected (about 80%) usually are not symptomatic. In severe cases, it can result in multi-organ damage.

Lassa fever is mainly found in Sierra Leone, Liberia, Guinea, and Nigeria and is spread by rats. Other neighbouring countries are also at risk because the type of rat that spreads the virus is also found throughout the West African region.

Because the clinical course of the disease is so variable, detection of the disease in affected patients has been difficult. However, when presence of the disease is confirmed in a community, prompt isolation of affected patients, good infection protection and control practices and rigorous contact tracing can stop outbreaks.
TRANSMISSION

It is, ‘zoonotic,’ or animal-borne. Lassa fever is endemic in parts of west Africa which include the following areas:

Liberia
Guinea
Nigeria
Sierra Leone

Humans usually become infected with Lassa virus from exposure to urine or faeces of infected Mastomys rats. Lassa virus may also be spread between humans through direct contact with the blood, urine, faeces, or other bodily secretions of a person infected with Lassa fever. There is no epidemiological evidence supporting airborne spread between humans. Person-to-person transmission occurs in both community and health-care settings, where the virus may be spread by contaminated medical equipment, such as re-used needles. Sexual transmission of Lassa virus has been reported.

Lassa fever occurs in all age groups and both sexes. Persons at greatest risk are those living in rural areas where Mastomys are usually found, especially in communities with poor sanitation or crowded living conditions. Health workers are at risk if caring for Lassa fever patients in the absence of proper barrier nursing and infection control practices.

The number of people who experience Lassa fever each year in west Africa is estimated to be between 100,000 and 300,000, with around 5,000 people dying from the virus.
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

The signs and symptoms of Lassa fever commonly happen 1-3 weeks after a person has come into contact with the virus. For most of those with a Lassa fever virus infection; around 80%, symptoms are mild and under-diagnosed. Mild symptoms include:

Weakness
Headaches
Slight fever
General malaise



Around 20% of infected people; however, the disease might progress to more serious symptoms which include:

Bleeding from the infected person’s eyes, gums, or nose and other parts of the body.
Repeated vomiting.
Respiratory distress.
Pain in the back, chest and abdomen.
Facial swelling and shock.
Neurological issues such as tremors, hearing loss and encephalitis.An infected person may die within two weeks of their initial symptoms because of multi-organ failure.The most common complication of Lassa fever is deafness. Different degrees of deafness happen in around one-third of those who become infected.

Between 15-20% of people who are hospitalized for Lassa fever die from the illness. Only 1% of all Lassa virus infections; however, result in the person’s death. The death rates for women in the third trimester of pregnancy are exceptionally high.
DIAGNOSIS

The symptoms of Lassa fever are varied and non-specific, clinical diagnosis is often difficult, especially early in the course of the disease.

Definitive diagnosis requires testing that is available only in specialized laboratories. Laboratory specimens may be hazardous and must be handled with extreme care. Lassa virus infections can only be diagnosed definitively in the laboratory using the following tests:

antibody enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)
antigen detection tests
reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay
virus isolation by cell culture.

TREATMENT

‘Ribavirin,’ is an antiviral drug that has been used with success in people affected by Lassa fever in its early stage.
Supportive care that consists of maintenance of:
1. Oxygenation.
2. Blood pressure.
3. Treatment of complicating infections.
4. Appropriate fluid and electrolyte balance.

PREVENTION

Prevention of Lassa fever relies on promoting good “community hygiene” to discourage rodents from entering homes. Effective measures include storing grain and other foodstuffs in rodent-proof containers, disposing of garbage far from the home, maintaining clean households and keeping cats. Because Mastomys are so abundant in endemic areas, it is not possible to completely eliminate them from the environment. Family members should always be careful to avoid contact with blood and body fluids while caring for sick persons.

In health-care settings, staff should always apply standard infection prevention and control precautions when caring for patients, regardless of their presumed diagnosis. These include basic hand hygiene, respiratory hygiene, use of personal protective equipment (to block splashes or other contact with infected materials), safe injection practices and safe burial practices.

Health workers caring for patients with suspected or confirmed Lassa fever should apply extra infection control measures to prevent contact with the patient’s blood and body fluids and contaminated surfaces or materials such as clothing and bedding. When in close contact (within 1 metre) of patients with Lassa fever, health-care workers should wear face protection (a face shield or a medical mask and goggles), a clean, non-sterile long-sleeved gown, and gloves (sterile gloves for some procedures).

Laboratory workers are also at risk. Samples taken from humans and animals for investigation of Lassa virus infection should be handled by trained staff and processed in suitably equipped laboratories.

On rare occasions, travellers from areas where Lassa fever is endemic export the disease to other countries. Although malaria, typhoid fever, and many other tropical infections are much more common, the diagnosis of Lassa fever should be considered in febrile patients returning from West Africa, especially if they have had exposures in rural areas or hospitals in countries where Lassa fever is known to be endemic. Health-care workers seeing a patient suspected to have Lassa fever should immediately contact local and national experts for advice and to arrange for laboratory testing.



http://www.dosunmukazeem.com/lassa-fever-what-you-should-know/

Cekpo34:
There is more to it than just hygiene! Don't you sip garri? I do! I guess u know what I mean.

Well, as much as I fully understand what you mean, there are other routes through which this virus can be transmitted.

cutestcee:
Thanks for the info.
Our government would have done some serious work like in the time of Ebola, but we are busy fighting corruption.

That's exactly the point, strengthening our public health system.

Cekpo34:
Only God saves! Rats are household properties in some regions we depend on for food items such as garri and fruit! One doctor was like "you have to wash ur fruits with hot water and salt" before eating! :-/

Personal hygiene, High index of suspicion are very important. We can spread the message by sharing this information and educating the people around us.

INTRODUCTION


It was first described in the 1950s, however the virus causing the disease was not identified until 1969, when it’s discovered in two missionary hospitals in the Lassa town of Borno State, the virus is a single-stranded RNA. Most of the people infected (about 80%) usually are not symptomatic. In severe cases, it can result in multi-organ damage.

Lassa fever is mainly found in Sierra Leone, Liberia, Guinea, and Nigeria and is spread by rats. Other neighbouring countries are also at risk because the type of rat that spreads the virus is also found throughout the West African region.

Because the clinical course of the disease is so variable, detection of the disease in affected patients has been difficult. However, when presence of the disease is confirmed in a community, prompt isolation of affected patients, good infection protection and control practices and rigorous contact tracing can stop outbreaks.
TRANSMISSION

It is, ‘zoonotic,’ or animal-borne. Lassa fever is endemic in parts of west Africa which include the following areas:

Liberia
Guinea
Nigeria
Sierra Leone

Humans usually become infected with Lassa virus from exposure to urine or faeces of infected Mastomys rats. Lassa virus may also be spread between humans through direct contact with the blood, urine, faeces, or other bodily secretions of a person infected with Lassa fever. There is no epidemiological evidence supporting airborne spread between humans. Person-to-person transmission occurs in both community and health-care settings, where the virus may be spread by contaminated medical equipment, such as re-used needles. Sexual transmission of Lassa virus has been reported.

Lassa fever occurs in all age groups and both sexes. Persons at greatest risk are those living in rural areas where Mastomys are usually found, especially in communities with poor sanitation or crowded living conditions. Health workers are at risk if caring for Lassa fever patients in the absence of proper barrier nursing and infection control practices.

The number of people who experience Lassa fever each year in west Africa is estimated to be between 100,000 and 300,000, with around 5,000 people dying from the virus.
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

The signs and symptoms of Lassa fever commonly happen 1-3 weeks after a person has come into contact with the virus. For most of those with a Lassa fever virus infection; around 80%, symptoms are mild and under-diagnosed. Mild symptoms include:

Weakness
Headaches
Slight fever
General malaise



Around 20% of infected people; however, the disease might progress to more serious symptoms which include:

Bleeding from the infected person’s eyes, gums, or nose and other parts of the body.
Repeated vomiting.
Respiratory distress.
Pain in the back, chest and abdomen.
Facial swelling and shock.
Neurological issues such as tremors, hearing loss and encephalitis.An infected person may die within two weeks of their initial symptoms because of multi-organ failure.The most common complication of Lassa fever is deafness. Different degrees of deafness happen in around one-third of those who become infected.

Between 15-20% of people who are hospitalized for Lassa fever die from the illness. Only 1% of all Lassa virus infections; however, result in the person’s death. The death rates for women in the third trimester of pregnancy are exceptionally high.
DIAGNOSIS

The symptoms of Lassa fever are varied and non-specific, clinical diagnosis is often difficult, especially early in the course of the disease.

Definitive diagnosis requires testing that is available only in specialized laboratories. Laboratory specimens may be hazardous and must be handled with extreme care. Lassa virus infections can only be diagnosed definitively in the laboratory using the following tests:

antibody enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)
antigen detection tests
reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay
virus isolation by cell culture.

TREATMENT

‘Ribavirin,’ is an antiviral drug that has been used with success in people affected by Lassa fever in its early stage.
Supportive care that consists of maintenance of:
1. Oxygenation.
2. Blood pressure.
3. Treatment of complicating infections.
4. Appropriate fluid and electrolyte balance.

PREVENTION

Prevention of Lassa fever relies on promoting good “community hygiene” to discourage rodents from entering homes. Effective measures include storing grain and other foodstuffs in rodent-proof containers, disposing of garbage far from the home, maintaining clean households and keeping cats. Because Mastomys are so abundant in endemic areas, it is not possible to completely eliminate them from the environment. Family members should always be careful to avoid contact with blood and body fluids while caring for sick persons.

In health-care settings, staff should always apply standard infection prevention and control precautions when caring for patients, regardless of their presumed diagnosis. These include basic hand hygiene, respiratory hygiene, use of personal protective equipment (to block splashes or other contact with infected materials), safe injection practices and safe burial practices.

Health workers caring for patients with suspected or confirmed Lassa fever should apply extra infection control measures to prevent contact with the patient’s blood and body fluids and contaminated surfaces or materials such as clothing and bedding. When in close contact (within 1 metre) of patients with Lassa fever, health-care workers should wear face protection (a face shield or a medical mask and goggles), a clean, non-sterile long-sleeved gown, and gloves (sterile gloves for some procedures).

Laboratory workers are also at risk. Samples taken from humans and animals for investigation of Lassa virus infection should be handled by trained staff and processed in suitably equipped laboratories.

On rare occasions, travellers from areas where Lassa fever is endemic export the disease to other countries. Although malaria, typhoid fever, and many other tropical infections are much more common, the diagnosis of Lassa fever should be considered in febrile patients returning from West Africa, especially if they have had exposures in rural areas or hospitals in countries where Lassa fever is known to be endemic. Health-care workers seeing a patient suspected to have Lassa fever should immediately contact local and national experts for advice and to arrange for laboratory testing.


http://www.dosunmukazeem.com/lassa-fever-what-you-should-know/

INTRODUCTION


It was first described in the 1950s, however the virus causing the disease was not identified until 1969, when it’s discovered in two missionary hospitals in the Lassa town of Borno State, the virus is a single-stranded RNA. Most of the people infected (about 80%) usually are not symptomatic. In severe cases, it can result in multi-organ damage.

Lassa fever is mainly found in Sierra Leone, Liberia, Guinea, and Nigeria and is spread by rats. Other neighbouring countries are also at risk because the type of rat that spreads the virus is also found throughout the West African region.

Because the clinical course of the disease is so variable, detection of the disease in affected patients has been difficult. However, when presence of the disease is confirmed in a community, prompt isolation of affected patients, good infection protection and control practices and rigorous contact tracing can stop outbreaks.
TRANSMISSION

It is, ‘zoonotic,’ or animal-borne. Lassa fever is endemic in parts of west Africa which include the following areas:

Liberia
Guinea
Nigeria
Sierra Leone

Humans usually become infected with Lassa virus from exposure to urine or faeces of infected Mastomys rats. Lassa virus may also be spread between humans through direct contact with the blood, urine, faeces, or other bodily secretions of a person infected with Lassa fever. There is no epidemiological evidence supporting airborne spread between humans. Person-to-person transmission occurs in both community and health-care settings, where the virus may be spread by contaminated medical equipment, such as re-used needles. Sexual transmission of Lassa virus has been reported.

Lassa fever occurs in all age groups and both sexes. Persons at greatest risk are those living in rural areas where Mastomys are usually found, especially in communities with poor sanitation or crowded living conditions. Health workers are at risk if caring for Lassa fever patients in the absence of proper barrier nursing and infection control practices.

The number of people who experience Lassa fever each year in west Africa is estimated to be between 100,000 and 300,000, with around 5,000 people dying from the virus.
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

The signs and symptoms of Lassa fever commonly happen 1-3 weeks after a person has come into contact with the virus. For most of those with a Lassa fever virus infection; around 80%, symptoms are mild and under-diagnosed. Mild symptoms include:

Weakness
Headaches
Slight fever
General malaise



Around 20% of infected people; however, the disease might progress to more serious symptoms which include:

Bleeding from the infected person’s eyes, gums, or nose and other parts of the body.
Repeated vomiting.
Respiratory distress.
Pain in the back, chest and abdomen.
Facial swelling and shock.
Neurological issues such as tremors, hearing loss and encephalitis.An infected person may die within two weeks of their initial symptoms because of multi-organ failure.The most common complication of Lassa fever is deafness. Different degrees of deafness happen in around one-third of those who become infected.

Between 15-20% of people who are hospitalized for Lassa fever die from the illness. Only 1% of all Lassa virus infections; however, result in the person’s death. The death rates for women in the third trimester of pregnancy are exceptionally high.
DIAGNOSIS

The symptoms of Lassa fever are varied and non-specific, clinical diagnosis is often difficult, especially early in the course of the disease.

Definitive diagnosis requires testing that is available only in specialized laboratories. Laboratory specimens may be hazardous and must be handled with extreme care. Lassa virus infections can only be diagnosed definitively in the laboratory using the following tests:

antibody enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)
antigen detection tests
reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay
virus isolation by cell culture.

TREATMENT

‘Ribavirin,’ is an antiviral drug that has been used with success in people affected by Lassa fever in its early stage.
Supportive care that consists of maintenance of:
1. Oxygenation.
2. Blood pressure.
3. Treatment of complicating infections.
4. Appropriate fluid and electrolyte balance.

PREVENTION

Prevention of Lassa fever relies on promoting good “community hygiene” to discourage rodents from entering homes. Effective measures include storing grain and other foodstuffs in rodent-proof containers, disposing of garbage far from the home, maintaining clean households and keeping cats. Because Mastomys are so abundant in endemic areas, it is not possible to completely eliminate them from the environment. Family members should always be careful to avoid contact with blood and body fluids while caring for sick persons.

In health-care settings, staff should always apply standard infection prevention and control precautions when caring for patients, regardless of their presumed diagnosis. These include basic hand hygiene, respiratory hygiene, use of personal protective equipment (to block splashes or other contact with infected materials), safe injection practices and safe burial practices.

Health workers caring for patients with suspected or confirmed Lassa fever should apply extra infection control measures to prevent contact with the patient’s blood and body fluids and contaminated surfaces or materials such as clothing and bedding. When in close contact (within 1 metre) of patients with Lassa fever, health-care workers should wear face protection (a face shield or a medical mask and goggles), a clean, non-sterile long-sleeved gown, and gloves (sterile gloves for some procedures).

Laboratory workers are also at risk. Samples taken from humans and animals for investigation of Lassa virus infection should be handled by trained staff and processed in suitably equipped laboratories.

On rare occasions, travellers from areas where Lassa fever is endemic export the disease to other countries. Although malaria, typhoid fever, and many other tropical infections are much more common, the diagnosis of Lassa fever should be considered in febrile patients returning from West Africa, especially if they have had exposures in rural areas or hospitals in countries where Lassa fever is known to be endemic. Health-care workers seeing a patient suspected to have Lassa fever should immediately contact local and national experts for advice and to arrange for laboratory testing.



http://www.dosunmukazeem.com/lassa-fever-what-you-should-know/

INTRODUCTION
It was first described in the 1950s, however the virus causing the disease was not identified until 1969, when it’s discovered in two missionary hospitals in the Lassa town of Borno State, the virus is a single-stranded RNA. Most of the people infected (about 80%) usually are not symptomatic. In severe cases, it can result in multi-organ damage.

Lassa fever is mainly found in Sierra Leone, Liberia, Guinea, and Nigeria and is spread by rats. Other neighbouring countries are also at risk because the type of rat that spreads the virus is also found throughout the West African region.

Because the clinical course of the disease is so variable, detection of the disease in affected patients has been difficult. However, when presence of the disease is confirmed in a community, prompt isolation of affected patients, good infection protection and control practices and rigorous contact tracing can stop outbreaks.

TRANSMISSION

It is, ‘zoonotic,’ or animal-borne. Lassa fever is endemic in parts of west Africa which include the following areas:

Liberia
Guinea
Nigeria
Sierra Leone

Humans usually become infected with Lassa virus from exposure to urine or faeces of infected Mastomys rats. Lassa virus may also be spread between humans through direct contact with the blood, urine, faeces, or other bodily secretions of a person infected with Lassa fever. There is no epidemiological evidence supporting airborne spread between humans. Person-to-person transmission occurs in both community and health-care settings, where the virus may be spread by contaminated medical equipment, such as re-used needles. Sexual transmission of Lassa virus has been reported.

Lassa fever occurs in all age groups and both sexes. Persons at greatest risk are those living in rural areas where Mastomys are usually found, especially in communities with poor sanitation or crowded living conditions. Health workers are at risk if caring for Lassa fever patients in the absence of proper barrier nursing and infection control practices.

The number of people who experience Lassa fever each year in west Africa is estimated to be between 100,000 and 300,000, with around 5,000 people dying from the virus.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS

The signs and symptoms of Lassa fever commonly happen 1-3 weeks after a person has come into contact with the virus. For most of those with a Lassa fever virus infection; around 80%, symptoms are mild and under-diagnosed. Mild symptoms include:

Weakness
Headaches
Slight fever
General malaise



Around 20% of infected people; however, the disease might progress to more serious symptoms which include:

Bleeding from the infected person’s eyes, gums, or nose and other parts of the body.
Repeated vomiting.
Respiratory distress.
Pain in the back, chest and abdomen.
Facial swelling and shock.
Neurological issues such as tremors, hearing loss and encephalitis.An infected person may die within two weeks of their initial symptoms because of multi-organ failure.The most common complication of Lassa fever is deafness. Different degrees of deafness happen in around one-third of those who become infected.

Between 15-20% of people who are hospitalized for Lassa fever die from the illness. Only 1% of all Lassa virus infections; however, result in the person’s death. The death rates for women in the third trimester of pregnancy are exceptionally high.

DIAGNOSIS

The symptoms of Lassa fever are varied and non-specific, clinical diagnosis is often difficult, especially early in the course of the disease.

Definitive diagnosis requires testing that is available only in specialized laboratories. Laboratory specimens may be hazardous and must be handled with extreme care. Lassa virus infections can only be diagnosed definitively in the laboratory using the following tests:

antibody enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)
antigen detection tests
reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay
virus isolation by cell culture.

TREATMENT



‘Ribavirin,’ is an antiviral drug that has been used with success in people affected by Lassa fever in its early stage.
Supportive care that consists of maintenance of:
1. Oxygenation.
2. Blood pressure.
3. Treatment of complicating infections.
4. Appropriate fluid and electrolyte balance.



PREVENTION

Prevention of Lassa fever relies on promoting good “community hygiene” to discourage rodents from entering homes. Effective measures include storing grain and other foodstuffs in rodent-proof containers, disposing of garbage far from the home, maintaining clean households and keeping cats. Because Mastomys are so abundant in endemic areas, it is not possible to completely eliminate them from the environment. Family members should always be careful to avoid contact with blood and body fluids while caring for sick persons.

In health-care settings, staff should always apply standard infection prevention and control precautions when caring for patients, regardless of their presumed diagnosis. These include basic hand hygiene, respiratory hygiene, use of personal protective equipment (to block splashes or other contact with infected materials), safe injection practices and safe burial practices.

Health workers caring for patients with suspected or confirmed Lassa fever should apply extra infection control measures to prevent contact with the patient’s blood and body fluids and contaminated surfaces or materials such as clothing and bedding. When in close contact (within 1 metre) of patients with Lassa fever, health-care workers should wear face protection (a face shield or a medical mask and goggles), a clean, non-sterile long-sleeved gown, and gloves (sterile gloves for some procedures).

Laboratory workers are also at risk. Samples taken from humans and animals for investigation of Lassa virus infection should be handled by trained staff and processed in suitably equipped laboratories.

On rare occasions, travellers from areas where Lassa fever is endemic export the disease to other countries. Although malaria, typhoid fever, and many other tropical infections are much more common, the diagnosis of Lassa fever should be considered in febrile patients returning from West Africa, especially if they have had exposures in rural areas or hospitals in countries where Lassa fever is known to be endemic. Health-care workers seeing a patient suspected to have Lassa fever should immediately contact local and national experts for advice and to arrange for laboratory testing.



http://www.dosunmukazeem.com/lassa-fever-what-you-should-know/