Ogun govt. sets up three isolation centres

The Ogun government said on Saturday that it had set up three isolation centres, in a bid to contain any case of outbreak of Lassa fever.

The Commissioner for Health, Ogun, Dr Babatunde Ipaye, made this known to journalists in Abeokuta.

Ipaye listed the centres to include the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital (OOUTH), Sagamu, the State Hospital in Ijaiye and the General Hospital, Iberekodo, Abeokuta.

He said that the measure was a proactive step to combat any outbreak of the virus in the state and therefore appealed to residents to maintain good hygiene.

The commissioner said government had mounted surveillance since the outbreak of the virus in Bauchi, in November 2015, adding that no case had been recorded in Ogun till date.

Ipaye further said that his ministry had been collaborating with the Ministry of Education to create awareness in schools.

``If you communicate to the students, they will take the information back home and get it across to their parents and others.

``The other major reason why we chose to create awareness in schools is that in public health intervention, the students are veritable tools of public education,`` he said.

The commissioner urged members of the public to report any suspected case of the disease to the state epidemiologists on 08033591033 and hot lines for Lassa fever notification on 09099140122 and 09099140122.