NOA Raises Awareness Campaign On Infectious Seasonal Diseases

IBADAN – The National Orientation Agency (NOA), on Fri­day commenced sensi­tisation campaigns at a stakeholder’s engagement in its bid to curb the escalation of in­fectious seasonal diseases plagu­ing some states in the country.

The Director General, NOA, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, who was represented by the National Director, Health and Social Care, Dr. Olufemi Ayoola during the town hall meeting said the exer­cise was to enlighten the people on the need to prevent the diseas­es from infiltrating Oyo State.

Mallam Onilu tasked the people on attitudinal change to tame the spread of the dreaded dry season diseases, such as Las­sa fever, meningitis and Cholera from entry into Oyo State.

He noted that Lassa fever was preventable, even though vac­cines had not been discovered, stressing that people should take personal responsibility for their daily lives.

“The town hall is a critical step in the efforts to mobilize Nigerians to take proactive mea­sures against these 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.

“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.”

Onilu said this underscores the importance of personal and environmental hygiene in pre­venting the spread of infectious diseases.

The DG said eating a com­plete diet, fruits and exercising prevent the spread of these dis­eases.

He said the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), and other stakeholders, is making efforts to launch a vac­cine against Lassa fever.

The State Director, NOA, Dr. Olukemi Afolayan said the agen­cy has embarked on many sensi­tisation on Meningitis, Cholera, Measles.

According to her, “Health is wealth. Therefore, we have been going around in primary and secondary schools, to sensitise our pupils.

“Diseases come up more during dry seasons. 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 species of rat. And most effective prevention is both human and environmental hygiene, we should be wary of what we drink, eat and our en­vironment”.