NOA Intensifies Lassa Fever Sensitisation Across Akwa Ibom

The National Orientation Agency (NOA), Akwa Ibom State Directorate, has stepped up awareness campaigns across all 31 local government areas to guard residents against Lassa fever, warning that the viral disease poses a heightened risk during the rainy season.

State Director Mr. Mkpoutom Mkpoutom, who led the outreach in Uyo, described Lassa fever as “a severe viral haemorrhagic illness endemic to Nigeria,” adding that it is primarily transmitted through contact with food or household items contaminated by the urine or faeces of the multimammate rat (Mastomys natalensis).

Mkpoutom urged communities to adopt strict environmental hygiene as the first line of defence, saying the disease is preventable through “simple, yet consistent, sanitary practices.”

He said households and businesses should maintain personal and environmental cleanliness, store food properly, implement effective waste disposal systems and safeguard water sources.

The NOA director warned residents to be vigilant for early symptoms, which can resemble other illnesses. He said common early signs include high fever, persistent headache, sore throat, muscle aches, general weakness and fatigue.

“In severe cases, unexplained bleeding from the gums, nose, or gastrointestinal tract will be noticed,” he said.

“You cannot afford to treat these symptoms with herbal remedies or at home,” Mkpoutom cautioned, urging prompt medical attention. He said early presentation at a health facility “increases the chances of survival significantly,” and asked anyone showing symptoms to report immediately to the nearest hospital.

Calling for a whole-of-society response, Mkpoutom said government action alone is insufficient and appealed to traditional rulers, religious leaders, market women and youth associations to lead prevention efforts in their communities.

He announced the formation of community Task Force teams to monitor sanitary conditions and drive behaviour change.

With rodent migration and human exposure likely to rise during the rainy season, he assured residents that Chief Orientation and Mobilisation Officers (COMOs) would extend the sensitisation campaign to all 31 LGAs “to ensure no community is left behind.”

By INIOBONG EKPONTA, Uyo

The National Orientation Agency (NOA), Akwa Ibom State Directorate, has expressed concern over threats pose by tropical diseases especially Lassa Fever on the population, and warned citizens to imbibe precautionary measures against being caught off guard.

Therefore, the agency in a proactive move to safeguard the health of residents against the scourge of Lassa Fever, has intensified sensitisation campaigns across the 31 local government areas of the State.

The State Director, Mr. Mkpoutom Mkpoutom, who led the preventive campaign against the deadly contagious ailment, appealed to communities to adopt strict environmental hygiene as the first line of defense against the virus.

Speaking during a campaign outreach in Uyo, the State capital, Mr. Mkpoutom emphasised that ” Lassa Fever is a severe viral hemorrhagic illness endemic to Nigeria, primarily transmitted through contact with food or household items contaminated by the urine or feces of the multimammate rat – (Mastomys natalensis).

Mr. Mkpoutom, disclosing that that “the disease is preventable through simple, yet consistent, sanitary practices,” and outlined key safety measures that every household and business must adopt to include maintenance of personal and environmental cleanliness, proper food storage, good
waste disposal system and maintaining safe water sources among others..

The State Director warned residents to be vigilant and seek immediate medical attention if they experience early symptoms of Lassa Fever, which often mimic other illnesses.

Key symptoms, according to him, include high fever and persistent headache, sore throat and muscle aches, general body weakness and fatigue, adding that “in severe cases, unexplained bleeding from the gums, nose, or gastrointestinal tract will be noticed.”

“You cannot afford to treat these symptoms with herbal remedies or at home,” Mr. Mkpoutom warned, maintaining that “early presentation at a health facility increases the chances of survival significantly,” and urged would be victims to “report to the nearest hospital immediately if you or a family member exhibits these signs.”

The State Director called for a “whole-of-society approach,” stating that government efforts alone were insufficient and enjoined the traditional rulers, religious leaders, market women, and youth associations to become vanguards of this public health campaign within their respective domains.

“Prevention is a shared responsibility,” he added. “We are not just disseminating information; we are changing behaviors. By setting up ‘Task Force’ teams in our communities to check the sanitary conditions of our neighborhoods, we can collectively beat this disease.”

As the state faces the challenges of the rainy season which often sees a spike in rodent migration, the NOA boss indulged the citizens that vigilance must remain high, and assured residents that the campaign would be extend to all 31 LGAs by the Chief Orientation and Mobilization Officers (COMOs) “to ensure no community is left behind.”