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The Director General National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, Friday, asked Nigerians to beware of dangers of Lassa fever .
Mallam Issa-Onilu stated this at a town hall meeting to commence sensitisation campaigns to curb the escalation of infectious seasonal diseases plaguing some states in the country.
Represented by the NOA National Director, Health and Social care, Dr. Olufemi Ayoola, Mallam Issa-Onilu alerted that we are still in the dry season, a period of heightened vulnerability to the spread of Lassa fever, meningitis and Cholera”.
Emphasizing that as at present, there is yet to be vaccines to stop spread of Lassa fever, he stressed that Lassa fever is preventable, hence the need for the people to take personal responsibility of their daily lives.
According to him, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), United Nations and other stakeholders are making efforts to launch a vaccine against Lassa fever.
” The town hall is a critical step in the efforts to mobilize Nigerians to take proactive measures against this deadly diseases especially now that we are still in the dry season, a period of heightened vulnerability to the spread of Lassa fever, meningitis and Cholera”, he said.
Mallam Issa-Onilu added, “As you may be aware, Lassa fever has claimed precious lives in some parts of the country. There was an outbreak in Saki last year, but the Oyo State government quickly attended to the disease, and prevented its spread.”
He noted that the sensitization was to enlighten the people in order to prevent the diseases from infiltrating Oyo state and that there is the need for attitudinal change to tame the spread of the dreaded dry season diseases, such as Lassa fever, meningitis and Cholera from entry into Oyo state.
Stressing the importance of personal and environmental hygiene in preventing the spread of the infectious diseases, the NOA DG said eating complete diet, fruits and exercising prevent the spread of these diseases.
Oyo State Director, NOA, Dr. Olukemi Afolayan, while speaking declared that the agency is presently embarking on sensitization on Meningitis, Cholera, Measles, saying, “Health is wealth. Therefore,we have been going around in primary and secondary schools, to sensitize our pupils.
“Lassa fever is not common in Oyo state, but last year there was a record in Saki. Lassa fever is caused by a virus found in a specie of rat. Vaccination.”
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