Bauchi Govt Sensitize Students On Lassa Fever
By Murtala Muhammad
Students in Bauchi State have been urged to prioritize their personal and environmental hygiene as key preventive measures against Lassa Fever and other zoonotic diseases.
The Assistant Disease Notification Officer in the State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Danladi Yakubu made the call during sensitization campaigns to students of Government Girls College and Federal Government Girls College in Bauchi.
The sensitization was organized by the state government in collaboration with USAID funded Breakthrough Action Nigeria.
Speaking to Radio Nigeria shortly after addressing the students, Danladi Yakubu said the aim of the exercise was to enlighten them on the dangers of Lassa Fever and other zoonotic diseases which were posing serious threat to human lives.
Danladi Yakubu who noted that Bauchi is one of the most vulnerable states in the country in terms of reported cases of Lassa Fever, stressed the need for continued sensitisation of students on prevention, management and control of the diseases.
Also speaking, the One Health Focal Person, State Ministry of Agriculture, Dr Abdulkadir Umar Baba called on the students to utilize the knowledge garnered and ensure dissemination of same to their counterparts, friends and families.
Dr Abdulkadir Baba argued that the students were given all the necessary information concerning Lassa Fever and other zoonotic diseases, stressing that effective transmission of the message to their immediate communities would go a long way in fighting infectious diseases.
In a remark, the Principal of Government Girls College Bauchi, Hadiza Sagir Ibrahim appreciated the State Government and Breakthrough Action Nigeria for organizing the sensitization campaign and promised to step down the knowledge to the younger students particularly during school assemblies.
The students whom unanimously expressed delight over the choice of their respective schools for the exercise, assured their readiness to use the knowledge gained.
