USAID commends Edo’s response to lassa fever upsurge

• Pledges more support

As more partner agencies respond to the current upsurge of Lassa Fever in Edo State, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has commended the state health ministry for its coordination of joint efforts to curtail the outbreak.

The state has recorded no fewer than 97 confirmed cases and eight deaths in 11 local government areas in the last two weeks.

Speaking during a visit to the Commissioner for Health, Prof. Obehi Akora, yesterday in Benin city, the USAID-Nigeria  Team lead, Dr Homsuk Snomen also commended the Commissioner for the ministry’s hard work in creating enabling environment  for partner agencies to implement their activities in the state.

He said the USAID team and implementing partners were visiting the state to register their continued  support  and also to express appreciation for the Edo state government’s cooperation.

Welcoming the visitors, the Commissioner express delight that USAID has considered it necessary to interact with the ministry.

She told the team that the state government is committed to building capacity and strengthening  healthcare system in the state. 

Prof Akoria said the ministry’s mandate is to develop and regulate health policies across the state’s public and private health sectors. She disclosed that the government is embarking on a massive transformation and re-engineering to ensure that health care system, is restored to its original position in the state.

“The healthcare workforce is our priority and we are committed to doing everything we can with our partners to see that we have the right people in the right place doing the right thing,  the right way, at the right time, with the right intentions and getting the right results.

“We are focusing on  information, finances,  service delivery,  human resources on the six blocks of strong healthcare system as enunciated by WHO,” she said.

Prof. Akora thanked USAID for its investment  in Edo state especially in the state’s immunization programme, among others.

Edo Health Ministry officials and the USAID team in a group photograph after the visit