L-R: Sokoto State Commissioner of Health, Dr. Balarabe Shehu Kakale, taking Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal and other officials round State Specialists Hospital to assess Sokoto’s readiness to handle possible outbreak of lassa fever.

By Abdallah el-Kurebe

Sokoto government said it has intensified surveillance across the state in efforts to contain the spread of lassa fever.

Despite initial apprehension of a possible case of the deadly disease in the state, the government said three suspected cases earlier taken to Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) Laboratory Centre for blood sample analysis have all come out negative, reaffirming the zero case submission in Sokoto.  

Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal stated this Wednesday when he went round hospitals in Sokoto town as part of efforts to intensify awareness on the dangers of the disease.

Speaking at the State Specialist Hospital, Tambuwal said all necessary precaution has been put in place while technology has been deployed to help with surveillance in all the 23 local government areas of the state.

He said the monthly environmental sanitation introduced by the government has helped in the cleaning of environment, but residents need to do more to maintain high hygiene standards.

Conducting the Governor round the hospitals, the state Commissioner of Health, Dr. Balarabe Shehu Kakale said government has trained enough personnel to handle any possible outbreak of the ailment.