In a four prayer motion, the the senators unanimously voted “nay” on the prayer urging that the ministry of health be commended for its proactive move to curb the spread of the virus.
The Senate however agreed that its Committee on Health should invite the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole and other relevant agencies to brief the senate on efforts to curb the disease.
The senate also urged Nigerians to be very conscious and adhere to the rules of personal hygiene and put in more effort to get rid of rodents especially rats which cause the disease.
The federal government , health agencies and non-governmental organisations were enjoined to carry out holistic and aggressive sensitization at markets and other public places in affected states. It also urged the non-affected states to be educated on preventive measures.
While Bukola Saraki, the Senate President was giving his contribution to the motion, he called on the Federal Ministry of Health to provide adequate fund the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), to enable it function effectively in curtailing the spread and further outbreak of the disease.
He also called on the Senate Committee on Health to interface with the Ministry of Health in ensuring that the disease was properly managed.
“The most important issue is that the Committee on Health should do their oversight by engaging with the Minister of Health on how far the ministry has gone in tackling the problem,’’ he said.
Olanrewaju Tujuoso (Ogun central) who sponsored the motion revealed that Lassa fever frequently infected people in Africa and resulted in 300,000 to 50,000 cases annually and about 5000 deaths each year.
He decried that in spite of this awareness, health and corporate agencies in Nigeria, emphasize on awareness creation only after new cases appears.
Thereafter, a minute silence was thereafter observed for those, who lost their lives to the disease. The Ministry of Health confirmed 35 deaths out of 76 victims which has so far spread to 10 states.
These states include: Taraba, Rivers, Bauchi, Nassarawa, Niger, Kano, Edo, Plateau, Gombe and Oyo.
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