Lassa fever: Ondo trains 54 on surveillance, information to avert re-occurrence

The Government of Ondo State on Thursday began training 54 persons for surveillance and information dissemination in an effort to forestall the re-occurrence of Lassa fever scourge in the state.

The epidemic is already well reported in about 22 states of the federation.

Disease Surveillance and Notification Officers, as they are called, their deputies and informants from across the 18 local government areas, were trained on latest technologies of preventing the spread as well as protecting themselves from being infected by the disease.

After the training, a team of three of the officials would be sent out to each of the 18 local governments in the state.

Speaking with journalists at the training, the permanent secretary of the state Ministry of Health, Taiye Oni, said the training was necessary to build up the capacity of the health officers for good delivery.

Mr. Oni, who was represented by the Deputy Director of the state Public Health, Ayodele Adelusi, said the state governor, Rotimi Akeredolu, approved the training to combat any likely outbreak of Lassa fever in any part of the state.

He said the trainees would be disease notification officers that would alert the appropriate authorities if they see anything strange in their respective assigned areas.

“These are the people who will let us know if there is anything strange because we cannot be everywhere every time,” he said.

“These are the people across the state and they are not for Lassa fever only but for other disease.”

According to him, everyone has to be on his toes not to allow the disease reoccur in the state, even as he urged the trainees to use the opportunity for the benefit of the state.