Nigeria must wipe out rats to eliminate Lassa fever ― Laboratory scientists

To eliminate Lassa Fever in Nigeria, the West African Postgraduate College of Medical Laboratory Science (WAPCMLS), declared that all rats in the country must be wiped out.

The scientists said Lassa Fever is easily spread among our populace because the carrier of the diseases is here with us.

Addressing a press conference, on the induction/investiture and 2020 annual congress of WAPCMLS, which will take place in between Friday and Sunday this week, the Chairman, Steering Board of the organization, Dr Godswill Okara, said the infectious agents of Lassa Fever is here with us, and the disease can only be eliminated if all the rats in the country are wiped out.

He said: “Diseases by their very nature do not know national boundaries, race, colour or social status. We are all witnesses of how one man, the late Amos Sawyer, a Liberian stepped into Nigeria in 2014 with the Ebola Virus disease infection, and the entire Nigerian nation was shaken with a public health emergency of unprecedented dimension.

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“This underscores the need for developing regional and global professional capacity network to be able to prevent and combat the ravages of communicable and non-communicable diseases threatening the existence of humanity.

“We are also aware of the ongoing pandemic of COVID-19, a novel Coronavirus disease that started in Wuhan, a town in China, fast spreading to other countries and continents.”

He said the theme of the coming congress is: “The role of medical laboratory professionals in the successful implementation of Universal Health Coverage in ECOWAS Region.”

He said the College provides the platform for harmonising the development of medical laboratory human capacity through hospitals and industry-based post-university training within the ECOWAS region.

This, according to him, will guarantee the provision of the required quantity, quality and variety of medical laboratory specialists to strengthen the diagnostic capabilities of the healthcare system in the region.

He added that the prompt identification and accurate diagnosis of disease-causing agents is a prerequisite for their prevention, treatment and control.