By Ojo Oluwafemi
The Ondo State Acting Commissioner for Health, Dr Jibayo Adeyeye, on Friday reiterated government’s commitment towards eradicating Lassa fever, which he described as being deadlier than COVID-19.
Adeyeye said this during a road walk sensitisation on the eradication of Lassa fever in Owo town, Owo Local Government Area of the state.
He said that in spite of the fatalities and scare caused by the dreaded COVID-19 pandemic, Lassa fever has in 2020 killed more people in Ondo State.
He said that records show that 18 per cent fatality was recorded from the total reported cases of Lassa fever in the state as compared to the less than one per cent of COVID-19 related deaths.
The commissioner said that of all confirmed cases of the disease in Nigeria, 75 per cent are from three states with Ondo State topping the chart with 36 per cent.
Adeyeye said that Owo and Ose Local Government Areas of the state are the epicenters of Lassa fever and appealed to residents to shun bad habits that help the spread of the disease.
The commissioner advised residents to ensure that rodents which are the carriers of the disease are exterminated from their surroundings.
He said that the dry season usually heralds the outbreak of the disease, adding that the only way to eradicate Lassa fever is by getting rid of rats and other rodents from the state.
The commissioner said that this had necessitated the distribution of 10,000 rodenticides free to residents.
According to him, it is an unfortunate situation of COVID-19 all over the world. It has killed 41 people in Ondo state from January till now.
“But Lassa has killed more than 80.18 per cent of Lassa fever victims as compared to one COVID-19 victim in Ondo.
“Lassa fever has been with us for long. It is when the dry season starts that we usually experience the issue of Lassa fever, and Ondo state is one of the states in Nigeria were the disease is rampant.
“This is a serious situation which must not be taken lightly. We are determined to ensure its eradication.
“Unlike COVID-19, Lassa can be prevented if we eradicate rodents from our homes and surroundings.
“The rodenticide is distributed free and must not be sold. It is meant to be applied in homes to eradicate rats. `If we don’t kill rats, they will kill us’.
“We decided to start up the campaigns in Owo since it is one of the epicentres of the disease in the state,“Adeyeye said.
The State Epidemiologist, Dr Stephen Fagbemi who was represented by Dr Zachariah Gbelela, maintained that the age group affected the most by the disease are those between 21-30 years.
The Epidemiologist added that from January till date, a total of 806 confirmed cases of Lassa fever were recorded with 204 deaths in the country.
The Olowo of Owo, Oba Ajibade Ogunoye who spoke shortly with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) after the team visited his palace lauded the state government for its proactiveness to tackle the deadly disease.
Ogunoye said that the state government under Akeredolu has taken the right step towards eradicating rats from the state. It will help in stamping out the yearly occurrence of Lassa fever.
“With the level of our development, I think we have the capacity to manage it.”
NAN reports that the Campaign was also taken to the Federal Medical Center, Owo, which is the Lassa treatment Center where Rodenticides were also distributed.
