Benue Doctor Dies of Lassa Fever After Fresh Outbreak
A senior medical doctor working with the AIDS Prevention Initiative in Nigeria (APIN) in Konshisha Local Government Area of Benue State has died from complications linked to Lassa fever.
The State Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr Paul Ejeh-Ogwuche, confirmed the development on Monday in Makurdi, saying the ministry had already activated contact tracing and surveillance measures in response to the case.
He said the deceased battled the illness for more than two weeks before his condition deteriorated, adding that the death came at a time the state was close to being declared free of Lassa fever.
“There is a fresh case of Lassa fever in the state. He was a doctor and was buried last Saturday, June 20, 2026. He worked with APIN Foundation in Konshisha Local Government Area but hailed from Kwande Local Government Area,” Ogwuche said.
“For over two weeks, he was struggling, and when there was no improvement, a friend suggested his condition was suggestive of Lassa fever. A test carried out returned positive.
“So when we wanted to admit him at the Benue State University Teaching Hospital, Makurdi, he declined, requesting to be managed at home with drugs and injections. We insisted that he be taken to the teaching hospital for proper evaluation.”
He further explained that initial investigations revealed the deceased already had kidney complications.
“As a result, we referred him to the University of Jos Teaching Hospital in Plateau State, where he later died. His remains were brought back and buried in line with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention burial protocols on Saturday,” he added.
Ogwuche said the ministry had intensified public sensitisation campaigns and reactivated response measures across communities following the renewed outbreak.
He also noted that health authorities had been placed on alert over other infectious disease threats, including Ebola, with surveillance strengthened across health facilities.
According to him, the state had nearly completed a 42-day incubation monitoring period before the new case emerged, meaning a fresh cycle of observation would now be required before any official declaration can be made.
Titilope Adako is a talented and intrepid journalist, dedicated to shedding light on the untold stories of Osun State and Nigeria. Through incisive reporting, she tackles a broad spectrum of topics, from politics and social justice to culture and entertainment, with a commitment to accuracy, empathy, and inspiring positive change.
