In furtherance of its partnership with stakeholders for sustained health orientation, the National Orientation Agency (NOA) is partnering with the Environment Health Officers Association of Nigeria (EHOAN) to deepen grassroots awareness on Lassa Fever and environmental health.
This was disclosed by the Acting Director General of NOA, Mrs Ngozi Ekeoba when the EHOAN National President, Sanitarian Peter Uwagbale paid her a courtesy visit her in Abuja.
Ekeoba commended the sanitary health workers for their efforts in keeping the environment safe for the well being of Nigerians, but added that the task of keeping the environment healthy and disease free requires that all hands must be on deck because the issue of environment health is a collective responsibility of all Nigerians.
According to Ekeoba, open defecation and other poor sanitary attitudes can be prevented by individuals imbibing positive attitudes and promoting good hygiene around their environment. This, she said, would prevent the invasion of pests and diseases and ensure a healthier society. She assured the sanitarians that the Agency’s State offices will work with them to sensitize the grassroots on good hygiene practices using face to face advocacy.
In his remarks, the EHOAN National President, Peter Uwagbale said the association was aware of the effectiveness of NOA’s platforms at the grassroots and will take advantage of them for a successful and sustainable sanitation and health orientation campaign.
He informed the NOA management that the health officers have been involved in environmental health monitoring and public awareness since the first Lassa Fever case was recorded in 1960 and contributed most recently to the elimination of Ebola virus from Nigeria.
Philip Wikie
Principal Press Officer
