Medical Doctor dies of Lassa fever in Rivers state

Chairman of the Rivers state branch of Nigerian Medical Association, NMA, Dr. Furo Green, disclosed that a medical doctor with Braithwait Memorial Specialist Hospital, BMH, Dr. Livy Ijamala, has died from Lassa Fever, making the total number of deaths to 3 in the state.

Green said late doctor, Ijamala, who died in the early hours of yesterday from the ailment, had contact with patients infected with Lassa Fever.

Dr. Green said that the late Doctor has been quickly buried in line with recommendations of World Health Organization, WHO, for deaths from contagious diseases.

He added that a team from WHO had already visited the hospital for assessment, and that the hospital has been decontaminated while those who made contact with the late Dr. Ijamala have been placed on observation.

''Last night, one of our hard-working doctors in the department of obstetrics gynaecology, Dr. Livy Ijamala, lost his life following infection with Lassa Fever. This is the price medical doctors and health personnel pay for offering health services to the public," he said.