The National Orientation Agency has launched a more focused campaign to prevent the spread of infectious diseases across Nigeria.
This was contained in a statement signed by the Deputy Director of Publicity, Paul Odenyi, on Friday.
According to the statement, the new initiative targets three seasonal diseases—cholera, meningitis, and Lassa fever—which commonly affect different parts of the country at specific times of the year.
The statement read in part: “In a bid to curb the spread of infectious diseases across Nigeria, the National Orientation Agency has intensified its integrated preventive campaign against three seasonal but infectious diseases, namely cholera, meningitis, and Lassa fever.”
The Director-General of NOA, Lanre Issa-Onilu, addressed state office heads involved in the campaign, explaining that a lack of public awareness about preventive measures is a key factor in the yearly recurrence of these diseases.
The statement noted that Issa-Onilu specifically highlighted that extreme heat in northern Nigeria plays a significant role in the spread of Cerebrospinal Meningitis, a disease that thrives in hot weather.
The campaign, which began in August 2024 to raise awareness about Lassa fever, is now shifting focus to CSM as the country enters the hotter months.
Additionally, cholera outbreaks are often linked to poor sanitation practices, particularly open defecation, which contaminates water sources in many communities.
The integrated campaign will gain momentum in April, coinciding with the start of the rainy season.
The first phase of the campaign is already underway in select states from each of Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, including Ondo, Edo, Kogi, Taraba, Benue, Bauchi, and Ebonyi.
These states were chosen based on data from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control. The campaign will soon expand to Yobe and Borno, where CSM outbreaks have previously been recorded.
The statement further explained: “The campaign against Lassa fever, which began in August 2024, is shifting towards sensitisation on the spread of CSM, which is linked to extreme heat waves. Meanwhile, cholera outbreaks often follow the contamination of water bodies due to open defecation. The integrated campaign is expected to intensify in April as the rainy season sets in.”
To reduce the spread of these diseases, the NOA outlined several key preventive measures for citizens, including maintaining good personal hygiene, regularly washing hands with soap or sanitiser, ensuring food is safely processed, and keeping the environment clean.
