Students enlighten community on Lassa fever, Coronavirus

The Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria (MSSN), Estate/Oke Afa Central Branch has urged community members within and beyond the estate to toe the path of prevention in addressing the health concerns bedeviling the world today as prevention is better and safer than cure.Present at the Health Enlightenment programme on Lassa fever and Corona Virus were leaders, residents and members of the estate community and its environs.

The facilitator, A Medical Practitioner and lecturer at the Lagos State University College of Medicine, Ikeja , Dr. Abdulhakeem Bamiro said both Lassa fever and Corona Virus are zoonotic and are transmitted between animals and human beings. He explained that Lassa fever is usually found in multimammate rats who spread it to human when it saliva or urine has contact with foodstuffs. He added that Corona Virus showed common signs of infection, which include respiratory symptoms, fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties.He said “In more severe cases, the infection can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure and even death”.

The facilitator gave the standard recommendations to prevent its spread as regular hand washing, covering mouth and nose when coughing and sneezing, thoroughly cooking meat and eggs.

Meanwhile, he cautioned the people on avoiding close contact with anyone showing symptoms of respiratory illness such as coughing and sneezing as they could report such cases to the appropriate disease surveillance and notification officer in their community.

Dr. Bamiro advised the people on adopting a high hygienic lifestyle which would help reduce their vulnerability to Lassa Fever and Corona Virus as well as other related viral diseases spreading across the world today.

Also speaking at the programme was an educationist and Naibul Amir (Vice President) of the Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria, Lagos State Area Unit, Mallam Ishaq Abdulazeez. He urged the audience to be steadfast in upholding the tenets of Islam, which encourage proper health hygiene, and consciousness of happenings in their surroundings.

While giving votes of thanks, the organiser and Amir (President) of the Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria, Estate/ Oke Afa Central branch, Mallam Abdulhakeem Wusu urged the people to imbibe the lessons learnt from the programme and spread the information gotten to their neighborhoods. He however prayed that the community never witness Lassa fever and Corona Virus.