In a bid to curb the escalation of Lassa fever plaguing some states in the country, the National Orientation Agency, NOA, commenced sensitisation campaigns in Kogi State on Tuesday.
The acting state director of NOA, Patrick Edogbanya, who led a road show campaign in Lokoja, said the purpose of the exercise was to enlighten the people and prevent the disease from infiltrating Kogi.
According to him, in addition to the roadshow campaign, the agency has marked Dekina Local Government Area as the venue for the town hall meeting.
He added that Dekina was chosen as a means of taking the campaign to the grassroots, as most of the causes of the disease are prevalent in rural areas.
The Director General of NOA, Malam Lanre Isa-Onilu, whose speech was read by his representative, Edna Iria, tasked the people with attitudinal change to tame the escalation of the dreaded disease and prevent it from entering Kogi.
He noted that Lassa fever was preventable, even though vaccines have not been discovered, stressing that residents should take personal responsibility for their daily lives.
“The campaign is a critical step in the efforts to mobilise Nigerians to take proactive measures against this deadly disease, especially now that we are in the dry season, a period of heightened vulnerability to the spread of Lassa fever.
“As you may be aware, Lassa fever has claimed precious lives in some parts of the country. This outbreak underscores the importance of collective action in preventing the spread of infectious diseases.
We mourn the loss of lives and express solidarity with the affected families.
‘In response to this outbreak, the NOA, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, NCDC, and other stakeholders, is launching a nationwide preventive campaign.
“Our objective is to educate Nigerians on the risks, prevention, and control measures to combat Lassa fever. We urge all Nigerians to take note of the following,” he stated.
Continuing, he said: “Lassa fever is preventable if good hygiene is maintained. Practices like regular hand washing with soap and water, storing food in rodent-proof containers and avoiding contact with infected persons or contaminated materials are remedies against Lassa fever.”
He said the agency had deployed a network of state and local government officers to disseminate information and utilise various media channels to amplify prevention messages.
While engaging community leaders, traditional rulers, and influencers to mobilise grassroots support, the NOA boss hinted that the agency is collaborating with schools to integrate Lassa fever and other infectious disease prevention into their teaching engagements.
He called on Nigerians to take personal responsibility for preventing Lassa fever, support public health initiatives and report any suspicious case to relevant health institutions.
NOA starts awareness campaign to avert Lassa fever outbreak in Kogi