The Minister of State for the 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 revealed this when he briefed newsmen in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja on Wednesday.
Salako said: “I stand to provide an update on the recent outbreak of Lassa fever reported by 44 Army Reference Hospital in Kaduna State and subsequent spread of the disease in the state.”
The Minister, represented by the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of the Environment, Mahmud Adam Kambari, said the meeting with the State Emergency Response Team provided the etiological pattern of the disease.
According to him, 12 suspected cases were recorded with six deaths, two 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 Reference Hospital) on February 25, 2024.
In his address, the Registrar, Environmental Health Council of Nigeria, Dr. Yakubu Baba Muhammad, reiterated the Minister’s directives on all the facilities, whether public or private, should undergo derating exercise.
He added that places such as hotels, markets, restaurants and recreation centres will be issued a derating exemption certificate by EHCON.
Yakubu further disclosed that the ministry has directed the Council to embark on massive capacity building to update the knowledge of the practitioners on innovations and new approaches to control and address the disease.
He emphasised that components of health education, promotion and creation of awareness in communities also play an important role.
He said: “At the community level, the issue of waste management cannot be overemphasised.
“At this time and period, remnant food should not be exposed, while our foodstuffs and stores should be rat-proof.
“In the character of rats, once there is no food, rats vacate the house.”
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Dr. Yakubu noted that another approach to combating the spread of this disease is by getting to the grassroots, stressing: “It’s a collective responsibility as the government is doing its job and citizens should do their parts.”
He continued that farmers using roads for drying farm products should be discouraged from such practices as this calls for rats to come, urinate and defecate.
He explained further that the faeces of the rats contain the virus that causes disease and contamination of the food.