Lassa Fever: ARD President advocates improved hygiene to keep rodents away

2026-02-10 - 22:48

Dr Adediran Adewale, President of the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), UniOsun Teaching Hospital, Osogbo, has urged residents to maintain clean environments to prevent rat infestations, which transmit Lassa fever. Adewale gave the advice during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday. According to him, it has been established that Lassa fever is spread by a species known as the “multimammate” rat, but identifying the specific rodent may be difficult once a home becomes infested. “Lassa fever is a deadly disease, and it has claimed far too many lives. Sadly, even the best graduating student in my set died of the disease about three years ago in Ibadan. “My advice to my colleagues and the general public is to remain vigilant. We must keep our surroundings clean and ensure proper sanitation. “When it comes to rats, we often cannot tell which one carries the virus, so we must protect ourselves by maintaining a clean environment.” He advised citizens to always keep food properly covered and to immediately report any signs of rat droppings to the appropriate authorities. Adewale described as unfortunate the death of Dr Salome Oboyi of Bingham University Teaching Hospital, Jos, who contracted Lassa fever while caring for a patient. He prayed for God to grant her family the fortitude to bear the loss, and urged his colleagues to prioritise their safety and ensure they protect themselves when attending to Lassa fever patients. Vanguard News