He noted that early detection was key in saving affected patients with Lassa virus and protecting others. “Unlike Ebola, the good thing with Lassa is that there is a treatment available but the treatment has to be given early. “For instance, if you keep treating malaria for three weeks before testing and discovering it is Lassa, and you administer Ribavrin at the fourth week then it is unlikely that you will succeed. “But if Lassa is detected early and treatment commences at once, the patient will be saved and it will also help prevent transmission to others,’’ he said.

Ihekweazu pointed out that Ribavrin as a drug could be administered in drug form to treat contacts. “If you have a known case of Lassa and the patient have had contacts, we give Ribavrin to the contacts to prevent them from getting it but sadly there is no vaccine yet. “We have Ribavrin available in the FCT and we are currently deploying and prepositioning it in all the state capitals in Nigeria “So that the states can have access to the drugs when they need it and we will only supply it in emergency cases when they run out,” he said.

Source:Swankpharm