KDSG trains 180 Red Cross volunteers on Lassa Fever intervention

The Kaduna State Ministry of Health has begun a three-day training for 180 Red Cross volunteers on Lassa fever intervention.

The training, which is facilitated by the ministry and funded by the Red Cross, is meant to equip the volunteers selected from 5 LGAs in the state with necessary skills.

The volunteers were drawn from Zaria, Igabi, Kaduna South, Kaduna North and Chikun Divisions.

Dr Jeremiah Dikwu , the State Epidemiologist said the volunteers were trained with  the knowledge needed to massively intervene during cases of Lassa fever in the state.

He said that the intervention would include Risk Communication and Active Case Search, Psychological First Aid, Rodent Control and Hygiene Promotion for the next 3 months.

Dikwu said the training started  with 30 volunteers on surveillance and would end with the training of 150 volunteers on Risk Communication and Community Engagement .

According to him, Lassa fever is a viral hemorrhagic fever transmitted by rats.

He added that Lassa fever  has been known since the 1950’s, but the virus was not identified until 1969, when two missionary nurses died from it in the town of Lassa in Nigeria.

Dikwu added that Lassa fever was caused by a single stranded RNA virus and disseminated systemic primary viral infection.

” The main feature of fatal illness is impaired or delayed cellular immunity leading to fulminant viraemia, ” he said

The epidemiologist said that Lassa fever presented  symptoms and signs indistinguishable from those of febrile illnesses such as malaria and other viral hemorrhagic fevers such as Ebola.

“It is difficult to diagnose clinically but should be suspected in patients with fever (≥38°C) not responding adequately to antimalarial and antibiotic drugs.

” The most useful clinical predictors of Lassa fever are fever, pharyngitis, retrosternal pain, and proteinuria for diagnosis; and fever, sore throat, and vomiting for outcome, ” Dikwu said.

He said that Ribavirin and general support were needed.

“Ribavirin is almost twice as effective when given intravenously as when taken orally, and if given within six days of the start of illness it may reduce deaths by 90%.

“Dehydration, oedema, hypotension, and poor renal function are common; fluid replacement or the use of blood transfusion requires careful monitoring, ” he said.

 Dikwu said the volunteers would  be carrying out Risk communication and Community engagement, Active Case Search, Psychological First Aid, Rodent Control and Hygiene Promotion.(NAN)

By Stella Kabruk