Akwa Ibom Government Takes Preventive Steps to Curb Lassa Fever Outbreak

The Akwa Ibom Government on Wednesday said that it had set out to create necessary measures to prevent the outbreak of Lassa fever in the state. According to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Uyo, the state’s Epidemiologist, Dr Aniekeme Uwah, said the state had commenced an awareness campaign against the disease since September, 2015.

“Besides, we have done a lot in terms of producing flyers, erection of bill boards, news commentaries on radio and holding of periodic meetings with disease surveillance/notification personnel, hence, with the spread of the fever, we are just trying to build on what we had already started by erecting more bill boards in three major languages in the state and make radio jingles to deepen the awareness,” he said.

Other measures inclusive, are border surveillance by the Rapid Response Team around neighbouring communities with Rivers.

According to the epidemiologist, government would meet with representatives of the World Health Organisation, United Nations Children’s Education Fund and other major Non Governmental Organisations on prevention of the fever.