The Benue State Government on Thursday contained what would have become a public health epidemic in Ogbadibo and Okpokwu Local Government Areas after youth, who allegedly seized the corpse of a Lassa Fever victim, preventing health officials from conducting a safe burial in Ogbadibo LGA.
Officials of the Benue State Ministry of Health Rapid Response Team, however intervened, leading to the dousing of tension.
An source said the 54-year-old woman from Ogbadibo, died at the Benue State University Teaching Hospital, Makurdi, where laboratory tests confirmed the viral infection.
However, tension rose when officials from the Benue State Ministry of Health Rapid Response Team attempted to enforce safe standard burial protocol in Ogbadibo barring people from the traditional laying in state and paying of last respect.
That move prompted some youths to forcibly take the corpse to a private mortuary in Ugbokolo which is in the neighboring Okpokwu Local Government Area.
The incident forced immediate response from the Benue State Government, with the Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Paul Ogwuche, leading the state team of epidemiologists, local authorities, and security operatives to the affected communities.
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The tension was later diffused after a four-hour long dialogue involving family members, traditional rulers, and youth leaders.
The corpse was again moved safely Orokam for burial in accordance with World Healty Organisation (WHO) and Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) guidelines.
Ogwuche directed in the interest of public safety, the immediate closure of the private hospital and mortuary in Ugbokolo where the corpse was briefly deposited, for a full decontamination exercise and epidemiological investigation.
He noted that “all hospital staff and identified contacts have also been placed under medical surveillance to prevent possible secondary transmission.
“Public health safety is our top priority. The government cannot allow any act that endangers the lives of our citizens,” he said.
He commended security agencies, local government chairmen, and community leaders for helping defuse the situation.
The commissioner disclosed that health education campaigns had been launched across Ogbadibo and Okpokwu LGAs to curb misinformation, promote hygiene, and discourage unsafe handling of corpses.
Ogwuche urged the public to immediately report symptoms such as persistent fever and unexplained bleeding to the nearest health facility, warning against cultural practices that could accelerate the spread of infectious diseases.
