Borno Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, has directed emergency responders and health professionals to contain Lassa Fever in the state.
Assuring that he would make all necessary resources available, Zulum also ordered that special attention be accorded to government-controlled camps and host communities associated with forced migration of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).
His spokesman, Isa Gusau, in a statement on Friday, said the governor was briefed on the disease by the Commissioner of Health and Human Resources, Dr Salisu Kwayabura.
Zulum was informed that a Response Team on Lassa Fever headed by the commissioner was already in place.
Members include Chief Medical Director of the Hospitals’ management board, an infection prevention group at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, officials of the World Health Organization, UNICEF and Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF).
Others are key officers in Borno Ministry of Health, including the Permanent Secretary, the Executive Director of Primary Healthcare, among others.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has confirmed that workers in Borno state have mostly received their salaries for January 2020 which reflected the new minimum wage.
Chairman of the NLC in Borno State, Comrade Bulama Abiso, in a statement, said: “Borno state government under the able leadership of Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum has commenced implementation of a new minimum wage of 30,000 for workers and its consequential adjustments.
“The organized labour in Borno state appreciates the Governor for keeping to his pledge to make workers welfare as part of his priority. We urge all civil servants to reciprocate by re-dedicating themselves to duty” the NLC chairman wrote.
Abiso noted that although the NLC was yet to receive any complaint, it was prepared to raise concerns with the government in the event any worker fails to see the reflection of the minimum wage in his/her January salary.
The NLC, however, appealed to Governor Zulum to extend the implementation to local government and local education authorities.
