Two resident doctors serving at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakiliki, FETHA, Ebonyi State have died of lassa fever.
They both died on Sunday throwing other health workers in the hospital into panic.
This is also as two house officers, who joined in treating the contact patient, as well as nurses are on watch list.
The deceased include Abel Sunday Udo, who was a Resident Doctor in
the Department of Otorhinolayngology, FETHA, and Dr Ali Felix, a
Resident Doctor in the Department of Community Medicine, of the same
hospital.
The death was confirmed in a terse statement by the National
Association of Resident Doctors, NARD, which was obtained by DAILY POST.
The statement was signed by NARD secretary, Dr. O.V Nnadi.
It read: “The President of NARD Dr Ugochukwu Chinaka and the whole
NARD NEC commiserate with the President and congressmen of ARD.FETHA on
the sudden loss of another of our Colleague, Dr Abel Sunday Udo, a
Resident Doctor in the Department of Otorhinolayngology, FETHA, and Dr
Ali Felix, a Resident Doctor in the Department of Community
Medicine,FETHA.
On the part of Udo, the statement said “he died about 4hrs ago after a tonsillectomy on a lassa fever patient.
“The House Officer and the nurse that joined him in the surgery are presently on their way to Irrua Specialist Hospital, Irrua.”
Ali, the NARD spokesman said “died in the early hours of this
morning at Irrua Specialist Hospital, Irrua where he was being managed
for complications from Lassa fever.
“We pray God gives you and the immediate families they left behind
the fortitude to bear these irreparable loss and may their soul rest in
peace. Amen!”
When DAILY POST contacted NARD National President, Dr. Chinaka Ugochukwu he confirmed the deaths.
“Yes, there are reports to that effect,” he said.