LASSA FEVER KILLS CORPS MEMBER IN KADUNA

A National Youth Service Corps member, and medical doctor, Ogboji Kelechi, has died of Lassa Fever in Kaduna State.

PREMIUM TIMES gathered that the corps member, who was serving at St Louis Hospital, Zonkwa, in Zango Kataf local government area of Kaduna State, contacted the disease from one of his patients whom he treated.
Mr. Kelechi was a native of Igweledoha Amagu Ikwo local Government Area of Ebonyi state.
The Director General of NYSC, JB Olawunmi, in a release extolled the selfless service of the late Dr Ogboji.
The DG described the late medical doctor as an exceptional corps member who was fully dedicated to his duties and in the process paid the supreme price.
The DG also called on the corps members serving in health institutions to always apply standard precautionary measures in the discharge of their duties so as to protect themselves from the hazards of the profession.
Meanwhile, the family of the late Dr Ogboji has called for an enquiry into the circumstances leading to the death of their son.

The deceased’s elder brother, Wilfred Ogboji, who spoke to reporters in Abakaliki, accused St. Louis Hospital Zonkwa in Zango Kataf local government area of negligence.
“My brother Dr Ogboji Kelechi died on 20th Feb 2016. He died of Lassa fever because after his death they had to take him to Jos University Teaching Hospital where they said they were going to conduct an autopsy but along the line they collected his saliva, blood and urine which they used to confirm that it was a case of Lassa Fever.
“I am in pain and in deep sorrow because it is a very deep loss to us and our father too has been sick for a very long time. He has diabetes and I pray that God will strengthen him for me.
“We are not comfortable with his death and the way he was handled in his place of primary assignment where he served because I was made to understand that my brother was sick for about two weeks. They dumped him in the hospital and they were busy treating him with malaria.
“I believe that if they had taken him to a better hospital he would not have died.
“Why didn’t they take his samples and conduct a test as the malaria drug they were giving him was not working.
“We are calling for an inquiry by NYSC into how he died. They should go to where he served at Louis Edet Hospital in Zonkwa and confirm how he was treated to find out how he died.”