The Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Owo in Ondo State has on Tuesday disclosed that it would be developing a vaccine against Lassa fever.
The Chief Medical Director (CMD), Liasu Ahmed made the disclosure to newsmen during the Hospital's annual ward round, saying the FMC has commenced developing a vaccine for the deadly virus.
He said the Health facility aims to curb the incessant outbreak and spread of the virus.
Speaking on the Lassa fever vaccine, the CMD said, "I want to say confidently that the hospital is fulfilling the mandates of service, training and research. In terms of service delivery, the problem of out-of-stock syndrome in the pharmacy has been reduced to the barest minimum.
"A reference laboratory has been set up through Public Private Partnership (PPP). All equipment in the laboratory are automated and results of investigations are released within 30 minutes. “Furthermore, our services are being improved through the introduction of Electronic Medical Records (EMR).
"It is no longer news that FMC Owo is one of the treatment centres for Lassa fever in the country and the only one that is treating patients with Lassa fever-free. Last year, we started diagnosing Lassa fever with the use of mobile laboratory donated by an NGO called Pandora in collaboration with Irua Teaching Hospital and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control. In January 2019 during the world conference on Lassa fever in Abuja, FMC Owo received an award of excellence as the most improved treatment centre in the country," Dr. Ahmed added.
(NAN)
