Lassa fever: Senate orders FG to embark on massive sensitization

Worried by the increasing number of deaths, occasioned by the outbreak of Lassa Fever in many parts of the country, the Senate, yesterday,
ordered the federal government, health agencies and non governmental organizations to carryout a holistic and aggressive sensitization at markets, restaurants, neighbourhoods, communities, offices and schools, as well as well in states affected by the outbreak on preventive measures.

Lassa fever or Lassa Haemorrhagic Fever (LHF) is caused by the Lassa virus. The disease is spread through aerosolipized virus particles, either through affected rodents or close contact with infected individuals.

Since its outbreak in about ten states this year, 35 deaths have been recorded, while 76 cases have so far been reported. Similarly, the disease is believed to cause about 5,000 deaths each year in Africa.

In a unanimous decision during its first sitting this year, the Senate resolved to summon the Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole to brief it on the outbreak of the disease and how far the Ministry has gone in its effort to curb its further spread.

Other officials of the Ministry who are directly or indirectly involved in the management of the outbreak are also expected to appear before the Senate to explain their roles in handling of the pandemic.

While observing a minute silence in honour of those that have lost their lives so far, the Senate urged Nigerians to be conscious and adhere to rules of personal hygiene and put in more efforts to get rid of rodents/rats from the environment.

However, one of the prayers sought by the sponsor of the motion, Senator Olanrewaju Tejuoso (APC, Ogun Central) that rat killers be given out free of charge to Nigerians, did not get the nod of the Senate.

He had argued in the motion that the use of rat killers would reduce or totally eradicate rats from the environment, adding that the level of poverty in the land could not encourage the purchase of rat killers, as more important products of survival were taking priority.