18th January, 2016
Abiodun Onafuye/Abeokuta
A call has gone to the Federal Government to urgently to take awareness campaign against Lassa fever to rural areas across the country.
A lawmaker representing Ado-Odo/Ota 1 State Constituency in Ogun State House of Assembly, Nurudeen Akinpelu-Aina gave the advice on Monday in Abeokuta, the state capital.
Akinpelu-Aina, who is the Chairman, House Committee on Health, stated that this had become necessary, following the increasing number of casualties of the disease.
He said that people living in rural areas were more prone to the disease because of their environment.
The lawmaker urged the Federal Government to pay more attention to the health of the citizens.
According to him, “Ogun state government has also taken a bold step by setting up three isolation centres in the state,in its bid to contain any case of an outbreak of the dreaded Lassa fever.
“The Ogun state Ministry of Health has also fortified the Local Government Area Surveillance System to checkmate the disease through Public Health Education,” the lawmaker hinted.
He urged the Federal Ministry of Health to collaborate with the Education Ministry by constituting a committee that would engage schools on sensitisation campaigns.
He, however, commended the Minister of Health, Dr Isaac Adewole, on steps taken so far to prevent the spread of the disease.
Emergency meeting of the National Council of Health has been fixed for Tuesday in Abuja.
All the 36 state Commissioners for Health and all stakeholders in the health sector are expected at the meeting.