The Hon Minister of State for Environment Dr. Iziaq Adekunle Salako has launched the National Deratization framework exercise to prevent and control the spread of Lassa fever in the Country.
The Minister who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Environment, Mahmud Kambari while briefing the Press in Abuja stated “I stand to provide an update on the recent outbreak of Lassa Fever reported by 44 Army Referral Hospital in Kaduna State and subsequent spread of the disease in the state.”
He said the meeting with the State Emergency Response Team (SERT), has provided the etiological pattern of the disease.
12 suspected cases were recorded with 6 mortality, 2 additional cases originated from another facility in Barau Dikko Hospital, while 92 persons are under surveillance as contact persons, adding that the team visited the affected facility (44 Army Referral Hospital) on the 25th of February 2024 and gathered information as follows:
“The general hygiene and cleanliness of the hospital were assessed as well as measures put in place to prevent the spread of the disease through disinfection and decontamination were both deemed effective and found adequate.
“The team further confirmed the efficacy of the treatment by using an ITP machine and use of sodium hydrochloride in correct proportion and formulation to ensure the safety of the facility.
“The team recommended that the facility be deratised to reduce the population of the disease-carrying vector, specifically rats.”
He noted that environmental sector is to provide solutions and make the environment safe and unconducive for the vector to grow because it is responsible for the disease.
The Registrar, Environmental Health Council of Nigeria (EHCON), Dr. Yakubu Baba Muhammad reiterated that the Minister’s directives on all the facilities whether public or private should undergo derating exercise for example hotels, markets, restaurants and recreation centres after which they will be issued Derating Exemption Certificate by EHCON.
Dr. Yakubu disclosed that the ministry has directed the Council to embark on massive capacity building to update the knowledge of the practitioners on the innovations, and new approaches to control and address the disease.
He added that component of health education, promotion and creation of awareness in the communities also plays an important role.
“At the community level, the issue of waste management cannot be over-emphasized. At this time and period, remnant food should not be exposed while our foodstuff and stores should be rat-proof.
“In the character of rats once there is no food, rats vacate the house,” he added
He further emphasized that another approach to combat the spread of this disease is by getting to the grassroots and that it is a collective responsibility as government is doing its job, and citizens should do their part.
He also said farmers using roads for drying farm products should be discouraged from doing so because this allows rats to come and urinate and defecate, which contains the virus that causes disease and contamination of the food.
Yakubu warned that our communities should reduce or stop taking bush meat, saying it is not healthy for now because the virus has residual effects even after the death of the animal.
SOURCE: Arise News
