Lassa fever, an acute viral haemorrhagic fever, belonging to the Ebola fever family, is caused by Lassa virus through rats. According to recent reports, about 300,000 cases are reported yearly with about 5000 death. In Ondo State, Nigeria, alone, there have been 90 confirmed cases in January alone at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Owo. And in neighbouring Edo, Osun and other states of the federation, the endemic has become an issue of medical concern.
It is on this background that the Achievers’ University, Owo, Ondo State organised a sensitization programme to enlighten the university community on the plight of the ravaging viral infection.
According to the guest speaker, Dr (Mrs) O.O. Abiodun, a lecturer at the Nursing Department of the university, keeping a healthy environment and observing strict personal hygiene.
In other to be on the safest guide against this disease the students and every member of the Achievers University Community were given instructional guides on how to prevent the spread of this disease which are as follow:
- Wash hands with soap and water frequently (preferably under running water) especially before cooking, before and after eating, after urinating and defecating, after shaking people and after any task at all
- Maintain 100% hygiene of cutleries and cooking utensils
- Food items that must be cooked should be well cooked
Cook your own meals (better to stop eating outside)
- Keep raw foods in air-tight and rodents proof containers
- Get your water from safe sources
- Avoid buying food items like garri from anywhere (buy hot from hygienic places)
- Wash your fruits with salty water first and rinse well before you eat
- Cover your cooked foods well
- Block all holes in your home (Use nets for bathroom holes so as to permit the flow of water)
- Get rid of all rats in your home (bury anyone that you kill, don’t bother to examine it, please)
- Clear bushes around the house regularly
- Dispose of food remnants properly
- Make sure your doors are well fixed and close them properly at all times
- Get a personal hand sanitiser and use frequently
- Any fever or symptom that defile the use of antimalarials or antibiotics after 48 hours should be reported
- Go with your own containers to Suya, Asun, roasted yam, and roasted plantain spots
- Do not romance any sick person or dead body anyhow
In conclusion, all the students and the whole University community were admonished to adhere to the simple health ethics of maintaining proper basic hygiene and always be conscious of their environment to keep it tidy.