Army Hospital Shuts A&E Dept As Hemorrhagic Fever Claims 4 In Kaduna

The Nigerian Army Reference Hospital Kaduna (NARHK) has shut down its Accident and Emergency (A&E) Department over the death of three members of staff and a patient to suspected acute Viral Hemorrhagic Fever (VHF) within two days.

The Acting Corps Commander Medical (CCM) of the Nigerian Army, Brigadier General S.O. Okoigi, who disclosed this in an internal memo dated February 21, 2024, a copy of which was sighted by LEADERSHIP, also revealed that some other persons were in critical condition.

He said a suspected index patient, who has also died, was brought to the Army hospital with febrile illness about 10 days ago.

“They are suspected to have died from acute VHF. This followed the management of a patient with febrile illness thought to have been the index patient with the disease 10 days ago, having presented with a febrile illness.

“The patient also died from the suspected disease condition. The common symptoms in those affected included fever, and nonspecific symptoms likened to malaria. However, the illness was complicated by abnormal liver function, acute kidney failure, encephalopathy, microangiopathy, elevated D-Dimer, among others.

“The A&E has been closed for thorough disinfection process and samples have been taken from suspected contacts and the deceased and sent to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) laboratory in Kano for analysis,” he stated.

Brig-Gen. Okoigi further disclosed that the Kaduna State Epidemiologists have been invited to help in unravelling the aetiology of the febrile illness with a view to curtailing the spread of the disease.

This, he said, was in addition to strict disease Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) measures that have been directed to be emplaced.

“Ribavirin injection (antiviral agent) has also been commenced on other suspected cases and those identified on contact tracing.

“44 NARHK have also been directed to suspend accepting new cases from the general public in the interim while the situation is being contained,” the Corps Commander added.