By Adeniyi Adedeji, Ilorin.
The Medical Services department of the University of Ilorin, Unilorin, has announced it’s preparedness to prevent the spread of Lassa fever to the institution’s community, per chance it is recorded in Kwara State.
This was disclosed by the Director, Medical Services, Dr. AbdulRasheed Adekanye Odunola, while featuring on the university’s radio station programme; ‘Table Talk.’
Dr Odunola said that the management has put all hands on deck to prevent Lassa fever on the varsity campus; stating that though the dreaded disease has not been reported in any part of Kwara State, the University Health Service, was fully prepared and had been doing everything towards ensuring that the disease is kept away from the university community.
Decsribing the disease as “an active viral hemorrhagic fever”, which incubation lasts between two and 21 days and which is indigenous to Nigeria, he disclosed that the disease was first detected in 1969 at a place called Lassa, along the border of the present-day Adamawa and Borno states.
Dr. Odunola explained that the viral infection has rat as its natural host and therefore appealed to all to Nigerian citizens to prevent any form of direct or indirect contact with either living or dead rats and its waste products, including saliva and feaces, to avoid contacting the dreaded disease.
The Medical Director also advised everyone within and outside the campus of the University of Ilorin to cultivate the habit of washing their hands thoroughly with soap and disinfectants using running water intermittently.
This, he said they must do, especially after using the toilet and before consuming any meal, which must have been well-cooked in the first place, to keep the disease away from them.
He added that his office had written to all Hostel Managers in the university campus and other stakeholders on the need to partner the management towards ensuring that everyone, especially the students, are safe.
