The Nigerian Army has confirmed that there was some suspicion of acute Viral Hemorrhagic disease in the Accident and Emergency unit of the 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital, Kaduna (NARHK), which has resulted in the death of a couple of its medical staff serving in the hospital.
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While clarifying the Kaduna incident, the Director Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu in a statement allayed public concern and apprehension over the leaked correspondence by its medical experts over a suspected outbreak of the Viral Hemorrhagic disease otherwise known as Lassa Fever, in one of its medical facilities in Kaduna State.
The statement said in line with best practice in managing such a situation, contact tracing to what is believed to be the index case has been made to a non-military patient who was referred to 44 NARHK from a peripheral medical facility.
The suspected index patient according to the statement was managed but subsequently died two weeks ago in the hospital and three medical staff of the hospital that had direct contact with the suspected index case have also died within the last 48 hours.
In response to the suspected outbreak, directives have been passed that Prevention Control (IPC) measures in and around all military health care facilities in Kaduna be stepped up as part of measures to curtail further spread and loss of lives.
Furthermore, all medical staff of the hospital, their family members and other patients on the contact tracing list have commenced appropriate management and so far nothing of concern has been observed.
The statement further said the entire hospital facility has been disinfected, while immediate closure and evacuation of the Accident and Emergency ward of the 44 NARHK has been ordered to allow for thorough fumigation, decontamination and emplacement of other measures of Infection Prevention Control (IPC) .
The Nigerian Army said as responsive and responsible organization, it has also escalated the development to other relevant national and state agencies. As of the time of the statement, samples have been taken from suspected contacts and the deceased and sent to the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) laboratory in Kano for analysis.
Similarly, the Kaduna state Epidemiologists have been invited to help in unraveling the unfolding development. It point out, that the Nigerian Army as part of its civil-military relations welfare scheme offers medical services to civilians in its host communities. Thus, about 500 civilians receive medical attention weekly at 44NARHK.
The unfortunate development is only a setback in its efforts to give back to the society and will not stop doing this moral obligation to the host communities. It said all Nigerian Army medical facilities in Kaduna and environs have been put at alert on the need to emplace necessary IPC measures and closely monitor patients, staff and family members.
The Nigerian Army therefore urges members of the general public to not panic, as adequate measures have already been put in place to contain the suspected outbreak. It equally assures that its collaboration with all relevant stakeholders is open, transparent and in tandem with international best practice.
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