The United Nations International Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has mounted an enlightenment campaign programme in five local government area (LGA) of Anambra State believed to be directly or indirectly affected by Lassa fever. The campaign, aimed to educate the people on how to avoid contracting the fever, follows the recent loss of three lives, including that of a medical doctor, as a result of the Lassa fever outbreak in the state.

The five LGAs are Ayamelum, Anambra West, the area where two women died from the disease in Asaba, Delta State, Orumba North, where the diseased medical doctor hailed from, Nnewi North where the doctor died at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University Teaching Hospital located in the town as well as Anaocha, which has boundaries with Orumba North and Nnewi North.

The leader of the team whose programme is expected to round off within the week, UNICEF –assisted Communications Officer (SOMTEC) in Anambra State, Mrs. Chineze Ileka, said the world body was worried about the loss of lives through Lassa fever in the state, even when there was no outbreak of the disease in the state.

According to her, the easiest way to avoid Lassa Fever was to ensure that rats were not found in human surroundings by keeping the surroundings clean, disposing wastes properly, covering all food items, throwing away foods partly eaten by rats and not consuming it, avoiding eating uncooked garri and other food items usually eaten raw, avoiding eating rats and avoiding contact with Lassa Fever-infected persons or corpses.

Ileka also listed symptoms of Lassa fever to include fever, sore throat, difficulty to swallow, cough, headache, chest pain, swelling of the face, eye and neck, bloody diarrhea and bleeding from the nose, mouth, ears and eyes, advising those who noticed such symptoms to visit the nearest health center for treatment.

Those participating in the enlightenment programme include stakeholders from all the communities in the five local government areas, who were expected to further educate their people at the grass root level on ways of avoiding the spread of the disease.

•Photo shows a Lassa Fever patient receiving medical attention.

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