The Kwara State Government has formally declared that not a single case of Lassa fever has been recorded in the state.

However, the government says it is not taking chances as it had put in place all precautionary measures to guide against the spread of the disease to this part of the country.

The State Commissioner for Health, Alhaji Sulyman Atoagbe Alege dropped this hint in his office while speaking with VON Correspondent in Ilorin the kwara state capital North central Nigeria on the outbreak of Lassa fever in some states of the federation including Abuja the federal capital territory and some States that shared boundaries with Kwara.

Alhaji Alege said the ministry had put in place it's responsive team in each of the 16 local government areas of the state where government health facilities existed such as cottage hospitals, primary and comprehensive health care centres .

The Commissioner added that his ministry was also in collaboration with private hospitals in the State to report any case of Malaria that is persistent and has symptoms of Lassa Fever to the ministry stressing that an isolated ward had been prepared at the Ilorin General Hospital in case of any eventuality.

Similarly, he disclosed that the state government had written a formal letter to the Director, Nigeria Center for Disease Control to supply the state ministry of Health with more drugs for curing patients with Lassa fever and advised Kwarans against having any contact with rats either alive or dead and keep a clean environment.

Cleft Surgery

Answering another question, Alhaji Alege stated that the partnership between the state government ,Rotary International, Mike Omotosho Foundation and the Alliance for Smiles based in the United States of America to conduct free cleft surgeries for children and adults has started yielding results as already, over forty people have been diagnosed and operated upon while some have even been discharged. He said on the part of the state government, the government donated a ward at the Ilorin General Hospital , laboratories as well as personnel to facilitate the free surgery which has also attracted patients from Cross River, Rivers, Niger, Osun and Oyo States.

Kwara Budget

Commenting on the 2016 kwara state budget, Commissioner Alege disclosed that the governments focus in the health sector would be to develop health infrastructural facilities ,provide essential drugs to the various hospitals and health care centres.

He also assured the people at the various local government areas of the state particularly residents of Baruten, Edu and Kaiama of the posting of health personal as the state governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed had approved the appointment of more Doctors, Pharmacists, Physiotherapists, Laboratory technicians and other health workers.