If it can be said categorically when Lassa fever will end, why wait till April? The Health Minister also said that if nothing is done it will come back by August. Are all these just predictions that are definitive of an expectation? Or is there something more to his cryptic statements that we do not know? Nigerians have rights to all information regarding the complete eradication of this outbreak instead of just predictions on when it should end or resurface.
By Sandra Eguagie
It has become a known fact that an outbreak of certain epidemics reminds Nigerians of the right thing to do.
Maybe because we are good at forgetting and neglecting what we know and ought to do whenever we have overcome that challenge.
I stand to be corrected but should we always wait for an outbreak of a disease before we do what we are supposed to do especially when it costs less to nothing?
I can still remember two years ago when Ebola struck,T
there were so much publicity on hygiene and sanitation.
There were hand-washing buckets with soaps or hand sanitizers in almost all the premises of government and private establishments and even schools. The media houses were not left behind.
They also contributed in enlightenment campaigns through adverts and interviews, all in a bid to sensitize the public.
Government also contributed a lot of money to fight this epidemic that does not distinguish the rich from the poor.
It was an enemy of all. But thank heavens that we were able to overcome it. But then, what did we do to the culture of sanitation, hygiene and hand washing?
Now it is Lassa fever that is threatening our lives.
Over 43 people have reportedly been killed by this virus which is predominant in West Africa.
Some of the symptoms include headache, weakness, bleeding in gums, pain in the chest, back and abdomen, facial swelling, vomiting and etcetera.
It is said that death could occur within 14 days and it is even worse for pregnant women, nursing mothers and children.
During the outbreak of the Ebola virus, the tradition of shaking hands as part of greeting was scary and most people avoided it because of the fear of contracting the disease.
But this time, the fever ‘Lassa’ is said to be caused by a rat – rodents found in dirty and unkempt areas around our homes.
The virus is known to be transmitted to humans through exposure to and eating food contaminated with rat urine and droppings.
Rats most times go through food remains especially poorly stored food, not just in our homes. As a matter of fact, most of the foodstuffs we buy in the market are not properly stored.
For instance the garri, melon, and Ogbono are not properly stored and sometimes you find rat droppings on these items and probably rat urine as well.
This discussion is not aimed at discouraging us from eating these foods, or preventing the farmers (sellers) from selling their wares but my mission with this write-up is to re-awaken our sense of hygiene.
In the wake of the struggle to contain the spread of the virus, the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, said this in an interview with The PUNCH in Abuja that “we want to assure Nigerians that Lassa fever will soon become a thing of the past. It will become history in Nigeria.
Ordinarily, Lassa fever will be eradicated from Nigeria in April. But if we do nothing, it will come back by August. So, we will make sure that we work all-year round to make sure that there is no resurgence in August.”
If it can be said categorically when Lassa fever will end, why wait till April? The Health Minister also said that if nothing is done it will come back by August.
Are all these just predictions that are definitive of an expectation? Or is there something more to his cryptic statements that we do not know?
Nigerians have rights to all information regarding the complete eradication of this outbreak instead of just predictions on when it should end or resurface.
Lassa fever outbreak is a matter of life and death and it concerns all of us. The Minister must be more than explicit with information regarding the total and complete eradication of the virus.
But we must again be reminded that conscious and continued effort of personal hygiene, sanitation, proper storage of food, quick and proper disposal of unwanted food and use of mouse traps will go a long way in stemming the epidemic.
Simple habits we learnt during the Ebola epidemic can save lives, save time and reduce the cost of medical bills both for the government and individuals.
Government, civil society groups and public health workers have a big role to play in sensitizing our farmers on better and improved ways of preserving and storing our food.
This should not just be a one-off event concentrated in urban centers but it should be a continuous process targeting the local farmers in our villages and the middlemen in the agricultural sector.
This is not to say the urban centers and the consumers should be neglected but the enlightenment program should cover the producers (farmers), middlemen and consumers (buyers) in the urban and rural communities.
Our collective efforts towards hygiene and general sanitation behavior on a long term basis will help us end this epidemic and checkmate other possible outbreak now and in the future.
Sandra Eguagie is Program Officer with Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ).
