A Senior Resident Doctor in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the Bingham University Teaching Hospital (BHUTH), Jos, Dr Salome Oboyi, has reportedly died of Lassa fever, after contracting it from a patient.
Oboyi was said to have contracted the infection while treating a patient at the clinic. The tragic incident has brought to the fore questions about systemic breakdown in infection control and worker safety, lapses in workplace safety and the risks health workers face in the course of their duties.
It has also raised questions about whether adequate precautions were taken while she treated the patient.
According to a release via the official X handle of BHUTH doctors, it was disclosed that Oboyi was actively involved in clinical practice until her health began to deteriorate. However, concerns have emerged regarding early identification of the patient’s infectious status, the availability and use of appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE), and adherence to established infection prevention and control (IPC) protocols, particularly in a Lassa fever endemic region.
One of the sympathisers who reacted on the post said; “This is sad. The number of HCWs who have died from Lassa fever is becoming very alarming. It’s becoming too usual in Nigeria, and it’s unacceptable.”
Pharmanewsonline reports that Nigeria continues to experience recurring outbreaks of Lassa fever, which also affect healthcare workers. Despite the existence of national guidelines on IPC and occupational safety, implementation remains inconsistent in many healthcare facilities, largely due to resource constraints.
Dr Oboyi’s death represents the painful human cost of systemic failures within the healthcare system. Condolences continue to pour in under the post, with few referencing to how caring and dedicated she was to her profession and duties.
For many healthcare workers across the country, this tragedy reflects a shared fear, one that comes with showing up to work daily in environments where protective equipment may be inadequate, diagnostic suspicion delayed, and safety protocols inconsistently enforced. In such settings, the line between professional duty and personal risk becomes dangerously thin.
Colleagues and members of the medical community have continued to express grief and frustration, noting that deaths linked to occupational exposure are becoming disturbingly frequent. Many argue that while infectious diseases like Lassa fever are endemic, preventable exposure resulting from institutional lapses should not be normalised as part of the job.
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