NOA INTENSIFIES CAMPAIGN ON PREVENTIVE INFECTIOUS DISEASES

"The lack of awareness of the required preventive measures contribute to the recurrence of the epidemic around Nigeria every year." Issa-Onilu, DG NOA 

The National Orientation Agency (NOA) has intensified its integrated preventive campaign against three seasonal but infectious diseases namely Cholera, Meningitis and Lassa fever. This is in a bid to curb the spread of infectious diseases across Nigeria. 

Making this known is Director General of the Agency, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu while engaging with Heads of State Office involved in the campaigns.

According to Issa-Onilu, in a statement issued and signed by Paul Odenyi Deputy Director Media and Communications of the Agency, "the lack of awareness of the required preventive measures contribute to the recurrence of the epidemic around Nigeria every year."

The DG emphasized that, "For Cerebral Spinal Meningitis, the contribution of changes in weather, resulting in extreme heat, especially around the Northern part of the country which leads to its spread. 

"The campaign against Lassa Fever which began around August 2024 is giving way to the sensitization on the spread of CSM as a result of the extreme heat waves, while the rise of cholera follows the flow of open defecation into water bodies, which serves as source of water to several communities in Nigeria. The integrated campaign is expected to take off in April as the rainy season sets in." The DG stated.

According to the agency, "the first stage of the integrated Campaign started from selected states of the six (6) geo-political zones in Nigeria namely; Ondo, Edo, Kogi, Taraba, Benue, Bauchi and Ebonyi state as shown by epidemiological data from the National Centre for Disease Control. The campaign is to spread to Yobe and Borno states where reports of CSM outbreak was earlier recorded."

The Agency also highlighted some preventive measures citizens can observe to reduce the spread of these infectious diseases, they include;

• Taking personal hygiene seriously;

• Regular washing of hands with sanitizer or soap; 

• Safe processing of food; and

• General environmental sanitization.

The core objective of the campaign is educating citizens on basic personal hygiene to mitigate the spread of these diseases. The statement concluded.