The University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH) and the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Umuahia in their bid to check the spread of Lassa fever have embarked on new innovations as proactive measures. The fever which has killed about 40 people including a medical doctor in Nigeria has made the UITH to set up a team to educate their staff on the effective health care service delivery to curtail the spread of the disease.

The committee headed by Professor Oshagbemi of the Epidemiology and Community Medicine Department UITH will today commence its 'aggressive health education campaign' in hospitals to ensure that those who have not seen the advisory are also brought on board. The Chairman Medical Advisory Committee of University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Professor Olayinka Buhari at the weekend disclosed this to the Daily Trust in an interview.

"We have activated the mechanism to contain Lassa fever here. The team set up are to educate the medical professionals on best way to deal with the scourge," he said. In the same vein, the FMC Umuahia said it would commence the construction of additional Isolation Centre to the existing one within the hospital. Addressing the hospital community during a sensitization campaign organized by the Department of Community Medicine of the Federal government health institution, the Chief Medical Director, Dr. Chukwu Abali said building of an additional isolation centre is part of the hospital's action plans as well as to identify and isolate all cases.