The federal government has strengthened activities on environmental health and sanitation in response to Lassa fever outbreak in some parts of the country.
The Minister of State for Environment, Sharon Ikeazor who gave the indication at the weekend in Abuja said the ministry had already embarked on environmental health and sanitation response campaign in 11 states of the Federation to ensure improvement in environmental sanitation of premises, abatement of nuisance, rodent control, food hygiene and safety.
Ikeazor in a statement by the Director press of the Ministry Sagir el Mohammed expressed concerned about the increasing number of reported Lassa fever cases across the country.
The Minister however listed several proactive measures taken by the ministry to improve the overall sanitation and hygiene situation in the country to include establishment of Sanitation Desks in all the 36 states of the Federation and the FCT before the recent.
“This is in addition to the setting up of Environmental Health Surveillance Systems designed to strengthen cooperation between the states and Federal government on Environmental health and Sanitation issues which aids information/data gathering and sharing between the Federal, state and Local Governments.
“They are also involved in prevention and containment activities including surveillance/monitoring and reporting of Lassa fever cases and other environmental determinant diseases to the Federal Ministry of Environment headquarters. The Sanitation Desks are being replicated in all the 774 LGAs in the country,” she explained.
Ikeazor added that, the Federal Ministry of Environment over the years had collaborated with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control NCDC, World Health Organisation WHO and other stakeholders to carry out activities to prevent and contain the perennial Lassa fever outbreaks in Nigeria
She stated that Environmental Health Officers in the Ministry, in collaboration with Sanitation Desks in the States and local government Environmental Health Officers are currently in the field implementing environmental sanitation response activities in Lassa fever affected states.
“As a Ministry, we remain committed to our mandate of pest and vector control in Nigeria. To this end, we are entrenching sustainable programmes focusing on eliminating and reducing breeding avenues for disease vectors which involve fostering collaboration with relevant stakeholders.
“Furthermore, we shall continue to develop capacity of Environmental Health Practitioners in the Federal, State and Local Government jurisdictions. State Ministries of Environment are hereby enjoined to develop comprehensive Lassa fever prevention programme that will include rodent infestation survey and deratization.
Ikeazor assured the general public that the Ministry remains committed to ensuring that the environment remains clean, healthy and safe for all.
Recent report from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control NCDC of 16th January 2022 confirmed 96 cases and 11 deaths in 27 Local Government Areas across 11 States that include Bauchi, Edo, Ondo, Benue, Taraba, Kaduna, Plateau, Kogi, Cross River, Ebonyi and Oyo. This is also in addition to the 510 other cases and 102 deaths that occurred from January 2021 to 2nd January, 2022.
The Lassa fever virus is transmitted by rodents rats which can be found in our environment including homes, motor parks, offices and even places of worship. This contributes largely to the risk of spread that occurs in Nigeria and other countries with similar ecological factors.
The Minister therefore called on members of the public to keep their surroundings clean, keep food away from rodents, store grains and other food stuff in rodent proof containers and cook all foods thoroughly before consumption.
She also advised residents to block rat hideouts, carry out deratization, put an end to the practice.
