How UNN Graduate Died of Lassa Fever in Kogi - Colleague Recounts

Following the sudden death of Dr Ahmed Victor Idowu, a UNN graduate who contracted the dreadful Lassa Fever virus at Federal Medical Centre, Lokoja where he secured placement for houseman-ship.

His colleague and friend, a popular MC "Igwe De MC" has taken to social media to disclose more details about the death of the beloved doctor, and according to him, the death of Doctor Victor Idowu would have been prevented if standard healthcare facility was in place to tackle the virus.

He wrote:

What happened to My friend and Classmate!

#Dr Ahmed Victor Idowu was a medical graduand of the university of Nigeria (2016).

He started his housejob/internship last year at the Federal Medical centre, Lokoja in Kogi state


He was the doctor on duty last week at the FMC, Lokoja at the Paediatrics unit (Children's ward).

A woman brought her 7-month-old baby who was having some febrile illness for some expert management.

He assessed and started managing the case.

Along the course of the case management, Dr Ahmed also developed some febrile illness himself. It was a serious one.

Blood samples were taken from him and was sent to a medical laboratory in another state for tests (It was sent to Federal Irrua specialist Teaching Hospital, Irrua in Edo state, the test was done in Edo state and the results were sent back to Kogi state).

It was there in Edo state that it was confirmed to be a case of Lassa fever.

The 7-month -old baby (his patient) later died on Saturday morning.

Dr Ahmed was later transferred to another state, the Irrua specialist Teaching Hospital, Irrua in Edo state, where he was earlier diagnosed, for some further treatments.

He himself died on Sunday evening.

No standard laboratory or special quarantine unit in the whole of Kogi to fully contain the management of Lassa fever.

Lest I forget, Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi state is more interested in the establishment of fulani cattle colonies in the state, which is far more important than investing in diagnostics, or a standard healthcare facility for the management and control of Lassa fever for his people. Selah