FCTA takes Lassa fever sensitisation campaign to markets
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has commenced an aggressive sensitisation campaign against Lassa fever at markets across the territory.
Addressing newsmen at Garki Model Market in Abuja on Sunday, Education Officer on Health Promotion and Educational Unit of the FCT Public Health Department, Hanatu Bitrus, said the sensitisation campaign was part of efforts of the FCT administration to educate residents to avoid contracting the disease.
Bitrus said although, there is no confirmed case of Lassa fever in the FCT, the department of public health would not relent to put necessary preventive measures in place to check the emergence of the disease within the territory.
She advised the residents to avoid contact with rats, to maintain environmental hygiene and cover all foods and water properly and further cautioned the residents against exposing their food which can be easily accessible to rats.
Similarly, Bitrus enjoined women to wash cooking pots properly before and after use and block all rat hideouts as well as discard any food eaten by rats.
Manager, Garki Model Market, Mrs. Jamima Abulele, said the leadership of the market has taken proactive steps to safeguard traders and customers against the disease.
Abulele said the management of the market is always proactive as it fumigates the market bi-annually in line with international best practices.
”On hearing the outbreak of Lassa fever in some FCT neighbouring states, we quickly embarked on sensitisation for the traders and sent circulars to all shops, traders and everybody visiting the market.
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”We have done our normal fumigation of the market, but because of the outbreak of Lassa fever we are going to fumigate the market to make sure the environment is safe,” she disclosed.
The manager commended the FCT administration for its efforts at educating residents on how to protect themselves from contracting the disease and pledged the support of the management of the market to the ongoing sensitisation campaign.
