Following the reported case of a Lassa fever patient at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), the Environmental Health Officers Association of Nigeria (EHOAN), Lagos State branch, for two consecutive days last weekend, moved from one market place to another in Lagos, pursuing rodents, to curb the spread of the ailment. Lassa fever is believed to be caused by rats and similar rodents. Chairman of EHOAN in Lagos State, Mr. Samuel Akingbehin, said the association decided to embark on the 'de-rat' exercise, "in order to reduce the number of the killer rodents in the market places."
He added that the exercise which started at Onigbongbo Market at Maryland in Onigbogbo Local Government Area (LGA) would continue this week and would be carried out at one market per local government area per day. Akingbehin said that the association was collaborating with security agents, the executive members of the various markets and all the health officials in the state to ensure the effectiveness of the exercise. "We have decided to tackle this Lassa fever challenge because of its very serious nature. As such, we have decided to take the fight to the markets, hospitals, schools and homes in the state. "We know by inspection and evaluation of our society that the markets are highly populated and are also 'home' to rats and rodents. So, we decided to take the fight to where these rodents are also heavily populated," he said. He urged traders at the markets to be visited by members of the association to cooperate with the officers, adding that the exercise will begin from 5.00p.m. daily at the various markets. "We will go into the markets in the evenings, 'de-rat' the place and return in the early morning to pick up the dead rats for proper disposal. We chose the evening time because we all know that rats and rodents usually come out in the night; they hide in their cocoons during daytime. We have given out letters to all market leaders to notify them and for them to also allow us adequate access into the market environment," Akingbehin said. He said that structures encouraging the breeding of rats such as shanties, illegal structures, accumulated and misused articles would be removed. He listed markets to be visited for 'de-rat' exercise to include Mile 12 Market in Kosofe LGA; Kairo Market in Oshodi; Ile-Epo Market in Agbado Oke-Odo; Ikotun Market in Alimosho; Awolowo Market in Mushin; Okoko Market in Ojo; Vespa Market in Oto- wori; Sangrouse and Sura Markets in Lagos Island and Obada Market in Obalende. Other markets listed are Suru, Obanju and Ajeromi in Apapa; Agege Market in Agege; Ishaga Market in Ifako-Ijaye; Oyingbo Market in Mainland and Ayetoro Market in Epe.
He added that the exercise which started at Onigbongbo Market at Maryland in Onigbogbo Local Government Area (LGA) would continue this week and would be carried out at one market per local government area per day. Akingbehin said that the association was collaborating with security agents, the executive members of the various markets and all the health officials in the state to ensure the effectiveness of the exercise. "We have decided to tackle this Lassa fever challenge because of its very serious nature. As such, we have decided to take the fight to the markets, hospitals, schools and homes in the state. "We know by inspection and evaluation of our society that the markets are highly populated and are also 'home' to rats and rodents. So, we decided to take the fight to where these rodents are also heavily populated," he said. He urged traders at the markets to be visited by members of the association to cooperate with the officers, adding that the exercise will begin from 5.00p.m. daily at the various markets. "We will go into the markets in the evenings, 'de-rat' the place and return in the early morning to pick up the dead rats for proper disposal. We chose the evening time because we all know that rats and rodents usually come out in the night; they hide in their cocoons during daytime. We have given out letters to all market leaders to notify them and for them to also allow us adequate access into the market environment," Akingbehin said. He said that structures encouraging the breeding of rats such as shanties, illegal structures, accumulated and misused articles would be removed. He listed markets to be visited for 'de-rat' exercise to include Mile 12 Market in Kosofe LGA; Kairo Market in Oshodi; Ile-Epo Market in Agbado Oke-Odo; Ikotun Market in Alimosho; Awolowo Market in Mushin; Okoko Market in Ojo; Vespa Market in Oto- wori; Sangrouse and Sura Markets in Lagos Island and Obada Market in Obalende. Other markets listed are Suru, Obanju and Ajeromi in Apapa; Agege Market in Agege; Ishaga Market in Ifako-Ijaye; Oyingbo Market in Mainland and Ayetoro Market in Epe.
Source: All Africa News
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