BAUCHI State has recorded 16 lassa fever deaths and 130 confirmed infections in the state.

According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the state’s health commissioner, Sabi’u Gwalabe, disclosed this in Bauchi while briefing newsmen at the end of the State Executive Council (SEC) meeting on Friday.

Gwalabe said the state had recorded deaths and infections since the outbreak of the disease from January, adding that the cases were higher than the previous ones.

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“We have some outbreaks, especially we discussed Lassa fever outbreak during the council meeting.

“This year, we had a higher number of Lassa fever suspected cases, 16 deaths and 130 confirmed cases.

“The mortality rate is 12.4 per cent, but even though it’s dropping, there are some parts of the state which are affected more than others,” he said.

The commissioner listed the areas worst hit by the disease as Alkaleri, Kirfi, Bauchi and Tafawa Balewa.

He said the council also reviewed some of the achievements recorded in the health sector under Bala Mohammed’s administration, which included the rehabilitation and equipping of 14 general hospitals and primary healthcare facilities across the state.

Gwalabe said the governor would soon inaugurate two modern primary healthcare facilities at Fadamamada and Gida-Dubu in the Bauchi metropolis.

The government, he said, contributed N100 million counterpart fund to the Basic Healthcare Provision Fund, and engaged 200 midwives on a contract basis under the National Primary Healthcare Gateway to address manpower gaps in the sector.

Nurudeen AKEWUSHOLA

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Nurudeen Akewushola is an investigative reporter and fact-checker with The ICIR. He believes courageous in-depth investigative reporting is the key to social justice, accountability and good governance in society. You can reach him via nyahaya@icirnigeria.org and @NurudeenAkewus1 on Twitter.