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Lassa Fever

Lassa Fever
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Three Die as Lassa Fever Breaks Out in Plateau

by Nelson Ugwuagbo
written by Nelson Ugwuagbo

The Plateau State Government has confirmed the deaths of three additional persons from Lassa fever, intensifying concerns over the spread of the disease in the state.

The latest fatalities come shortly after the death of Dr. Salome Oboyi, a resident doctor at Bingham University Teaching Hospital (BUTH) in Jos, who reportedly contracted the virus while treating an infected patient.

State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Nicholas Baamlong, disclosed the new casualties during an interview with Channels Television in Jos on Wednesday. He assured residents that surveillance efforts and public health interventions are ongoing in affected communities and healthcare facilities.

Baamlong explained that laboratory tests confirmed the victims were infected with the viral disease before they succumbed.

He added that emergency response measures have been activated to curb the spread of the infection and safeguard residents across the state.

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Headlines

NABDA Identifies Drugs to Combat Lassa Fever in Nigeria

by Folarin Kehinde
written by Folarin Kehinde

The Director General, National Biotechnology Development Agency, (NABDA), Prof. Abdullahi Mustapha has said the agency has identified three repurposed drugs to mitigate the effect of Lassa Fever in Nigeria.

Abdullahi while speaking in Abuja on Wednesday at the Planning Meeting on Drug Repurposing and Repositioning: Challenges and Opportunities for Lassa Fever Treatment” noted that the move is NABDA’s contribution to mitigating Lassa fever pandemic considering the yearly increased cases recorded in the country.

According to Abdullahi, the repurposed drugs has been certified by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and will still be subjected to the Federal Ministry of Health and other relevant stakeholders for approval

“NABDA has begun this research to find a drug that is suitable, affordable with no side effects, NABDA has come up with a drug for this purpose so at this meeting it will be discussed and the process of putting it under clinical trial.

“The repurposed drug is going to be submitted to the FMoH and stakeholders to see how it is going to be tried.

“Lassa fever has been for over 30 years and we think it is time we come up with solution, then go to the drawing board to synthesize a drug for the purpose”.

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The Director, Genetics, Genomics and Bioinformatics, (NABDA), Oyekanmi Nash described Lassa Fever as an orphan disease due lack of commitment to administer a cure but with science, drugs has been repurposed to mitigate its effect.

Nash Explained that out of 8000 FDA approved drugs, NABDA has identified 3 potential candidates, one of them is very superior and all are being introduced at the meeting for federal ministry of health and other stakeholders to approve.

These identified drugs are already in the market for other purpose but we have repurposed them, we have already seen that it is going to work”.

“This is a good news coming from NABDA, so we have called various stakeholders here, the drug has been approved for use by FDA so what we are going to do is to seat with stakeholders to know the dose for use”.

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