Seadogs Take Lassa Fever Campaign to Lagos Streets

The National Association of Seadogs (NAS) also known as the Pyrates Confraternity, Egbeda, Lagos State chapter, Saturday carried out a Lassa fever awareness campaign within the Alimosho Local Government Area of the state, to sensitise the public on the dangerous nature of the disease, following the embarrassing outbreak of the disease again this year in Nigeria that has claimed over 56 lives between January and August 2017 according to official records.

In an interview with THISDAY during the campaign, the Cap’n of the Egbeda chapter also known as Hawkins Deck, Mr. Rudolf Obi, informed THISDAY that the campaign was part of the Advocacy Projects of the international leader of the organisation, Arthur Boje, through their NAS Medical Mission, towards affecting the lives of members of their immediate society.

Obi said: “The need for a public enlightenment campaign to contain the spread of the Lassa Fever disease through the education of the public on pre-emptory actions to take in avoiding contracting the disease, became necessary considering the rising casualty figures we have witnessed in the past 31 weeks of this year alone.”

The organisation distributed leaflets to members of the public and staged Health talks with market men and women on the importance of self hygiene and making sure their house are rodents free as these are the carriers of the dreaded virus.

Also commenting on the campaign, the Regional Head of the entire state, Mr Maxwell Ekot, informed THISDAY that the awareness campaign was going on simultaneously in different parts of the state including Ikorodu, Lekki, Victoria Island, Yaba, Festac, Maryland, Ikeja and Alimosho.

He advised Lagosians and Nigerians in general to be mindful of how they handle canned sodas that have been packed for some time in rat infested warehouses, insisting that before opening such drinks, “efforts must be made to thoroughly clean the top of the can that has faecal and urine residues of rodents”.

Shasha Division of the Nigerian Police Force provided security for the campaign.