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Bulletin #20, 05 March 2017

Borno Health Sector Bulletin #20, 05 March 2017

  • Borno SMOH in northeast Nigeria has recorded its first Lassa fever outbreak in almost five decades. The last confirmed outbreak of the deadly disease was in 1969. On 22nd February, an alert was received at the WHO field office in Maiduguri about a suspected case of Viral Haemorrhagic Fever (VHF) detected at the Umaru Shehu Hospital. The laboratory confirmation for Lassa fever was reported on the 27th Feb 2017.
  • The Lassa fever response mechanism has been set up on March 1st by the Honourable Health Commissioner, and a daily coordination meeting supported by WHO is taking place. It includes teams for case management, contact tracing, laboratory and infection control, environmental investigation, social mobilization and communication.
  • In 2017 so far, a total of 8,596 children (2.7 per cent of annual nutrition sector target of 314,557) with severe acute malnutrition have been admitted into therapeutic program in Borno and Yobe states. The quality of the program implementation is within the sphere standards.
  • The health sector strategy has been informed by and supports the MOH NE Health Sector Response Plan, the HRP 2017, State MOH Health Sector Operations Plans and health sector partner strategies.