Benue State Government has shut down a privately-owned mortuary in Ugbokolo, Okpokwu Local Government Area, after some community youths defied public health regulations by compulsorily placing the remains of a confirmed Lassa fever patient in the facility.
Dr. Paul Ogwuche, the Commissioner for Health and Human Services, outlined on Thursday that he led a team comprising senior health officials and security personnel to Okpokwu and Ogbadibo LGAs to restore calm and curb possible transmission of the disease following the mortuary’s closure.
According to Ogwuche, the deceased a 54-year-old woman from Ogbadibo had died at the Benue State University Teaching Hospital, Makurdi, where laboratory tests confirmed she was infected with Lassa fever.
He disclosed that when officials from the health ministry attempted to conduct a safe burial, some angry youths resisted, attacked the team, and seized the corpse, which they later deposited in the now-sealed mortuary.
The commissioner clarified that he promptly intervened on Wednesday by organizing a coordinated response involving community leaders, local authorities, and security agencies.
This effort led to the successful recovery and safe burial of the deceased in Orokam, in accordance with guidelines from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).
Dr. Ogwuche also directed that the private hospital and mortuary be closed until proper decontamination, disinfection, and a complete epidemiological assessment are carried out.
“All individuals who had close contact with the deceased, including medical personnel, have been traced and placed under observation.
The safety of the public remains our utmost concern, and the government will not condone any actions that threaten lives,” he said in Makurdi.
He also pleaded to residents to refrain from handling the remains of persons who may have died from infectious diseases and to immediately report any symptoms such as continuous fever or unexplained bleeding to the nearest healthcare center.
