The Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Health Sciences, Otukpo (FUSHO) in Benue State, Professor Innocent Ujah, has expressed optimism that the dreaded Lassa fever disease will become a thing of the past in Nigeria.
Ujah also restated the resolve of the institution to live up to its mandate of teaching, learning and research during a meeting to unveil the progress report of a research on Lassa fever recently carried out by the university.
He commended the university for the ground-breaking feat, stressing that FUSHO had placed itself on the world map and would continue to strive to live up to expectations.
He said within a short time of its establishment, the university had carried out the research on Lassa fever in the North Central region of Nigeria.
“I hereby commend the effort of the research team led by Prof Steve Abba, for making the university proud and the partnering agencies such as TETFUND, the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Edo State, among others.
“And I think by the time the study is concluded, Lassa fever will become a thing of the past, especially in Nigeria and other nations where the disease is prevalent,” Ujah said.
The chairman on the occasion, Prof John Idoko, applauded FUHSO for the research innovation, pledging his support for the team.
The team lead, Prof Abba, appreciated the university management, members of the team as well as donor agencies for their collaboration and support, noting that without them, his team would not have come that far.
“We decided to undertake this study as a result of the prevalence of the disease and its consequential havoc on humans, especially in the North Central region of Nigeria. When completed, the study will be used to combat the menace and could also be used as a basis for further research on the subject,” Abba posited.
Meanwhile, the event which was tagged: “Progress Report Dissemination : A Study of the Incidence, Seroprevalence, Risk Factors and Transmission of Lassa Fever Virus Infection in North-Central Nigeria, had eminent scholars of the university such as Professors Oladapo Shittu, Audu Onyemocho, and Dr Ovie Edegbene among others as facilitators.
Daily Trust reports that the research, which aims at investigating the correlation between rodents and Lassa fever, commenced in 2023 and is expected to be concluded by December 2025.
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