The National Orientation Agency (NOA) has intensified its public awareness campaign to curb the spread of Cholera, Cerebral Spinal Meningitis (CSM), and Lassa Fever, three seasonal but deadly infectious diseases affecting various parts of Nigeria.
The Director General of NOA, Mallam Lanre Issa-Onilu, while addressing state office heads involved in the campaign, noted that lack of awareness and preventive measures contributes significantly to the annual outbreaks of these diseases. He emphasized that the current extreme heat waves in Northern Nigeria have heightened the risk of CSM outbreaks, while cholera cases are expected to rise with the rainy season and water contamination.
According to NOA, the first phase of the campaign has already begun in Ondo, Edo, Kogi, Taraba, Benue, Bauchi, and Ebonyi states, based on data from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC). The campaign will also extend to Yobe and Borno states, where cases of CSM have been reported.
The agency outlined key preventive measures for citizens, including:
Maintaining personal hygiene
Regular handwashing with soap and sanitizers
Safe food handling and storage
Environmental sanitation to eliminate disease breeding grounds
The nationwide campaign is expected to be fully launched in April 2025, aligning with the onset of the rainy season, when the risk of cholera outbreaks is higher.
The NOA DG reiterated that the agency’s primary objective is to educate Nigerians on personal hygiene and public health practices to mitigate the spread of infectious diseases.
