The Nigerian government is taking a proactive step to prevent the recurring outbreak of Lassa Fever by launching a national deratisation framework. This initiative aims to tackle the presence of disease-carrying rats in states experiencing annual outbreaks.
Minister of State for Environment, Iziaq Salako, announced this strategy during a press conference in Abuja concerning the suspected Lassa Fever outbreak at the 44 Nigerian Army Reference Hospital in Kaduna. The event, themed “Health Pillar Towards Mitigation, Prevention, and Control of Lassa Fever in Nigeria,” highlighted the urgency of addressing the situation.
In response to the outbreak, the ministry has assembled a team to coordinate efforts and recommended the deratisation of affected facilities to diminish the rat population, which serves as the primary vector of the disease. During discussions with the Kaduna State emergency response team, it was revealed that out of the 12 suspected cases, six have been confirmed with five fatalities as of February 25. Additional suspected cases originating from the Barau Dikko Hospital have prompted surveillance of 92 contact persons.
To combat the outbreak effectively, the ministry has implemented several interventions under the Environmental Health Pillar. These measures include distributing rodenticides for deratisation, activating surveillance by environmental health personnel to identify rat infestations, and ensuring compliance with deratisation exercises in various public facilities.
Mr. Salako emphasized that the Environmental Health Council and other authorities would issue deratisation certificates to facilities post-treatment. Dr. Yakubu Baba from EHCON expressed concerns about the annual recurrence of Lassa Fever but assured a revised approach to curbing the disease by focusing on containment in Kaduna to prevent spread to other states. Deratisation and community awareness campaigns are among the preventive measures being prioritized to reduce the disease-carrying vector population.
By issuing deratisation certificates to communities, especially in high-risk areas prone to annual outbreaks, the government aims to significantly reduce the impact of Lassa Fever. This targeted approach underscores the commitment to safeguard public health and address the root cause of the disease outbreak.
NAN
