To ensure effective implementation of its Vector Control Programme aimed at eradicating Lassa Fever and other vector-borne diseases, the Lagos State Government has commenced the training of officers that will execute the project.
The training which will last for two weeks is being conducted in collaboration with its project partners, Lagos-based Phosguard Fumigant Ltd., a Non-Governmental Organisation.
Mr Oluwasegun Benson, the project’s Director, said this Sunday in Lagos that the training which commenced on Sept. 26, was to impart the knowledge of effective use of hi-tech chemicals to the officers.
Benson, the Chief Executive Officer of Phosguard, said that about 25 youths were currently being trained for the take-off of the project that would involve the killing of rodents beginning with the markets in the state.
“The project involves killing of rats, using chemicals as baits and this requires special skills to avoid the adverse effects of the chemicals.
“The training which is in three levels is in preparation for the programme to rid the state of rodents and buying up the rats for proper disposal.
“We will collaborate with the Lagos State Waste Management Authority (LAWMA) to either incinerate or bury the rats according to the best practices.
Lassa-fever
Lassa-fever
“This why we why we are mobilising the public to be part of the “Kill Rats and Get Paid Project’’ that is most likely to be launched this month,’’ the environmentalist said.
Benson, who conceived the project, said that Phosguard as the executing partners had advertised for vector control officers to apply for field jobs, adding that 25 of the applicants had been selected for the first phase of training.
“We will start with 25 vector control personnel who have a minimum qualification of Secondary School Certificate in Education (SSCE) to ensure they can read and write chemical labels and signs.
“Those selected are youths; this is to make the inactive youths who are high in number in the society to be meaningfully engaged,’’ he said.
Benson said the second stage of the training was on Health and Safety (HSE) which involved Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), teaching them how to avoid accidents and how to work in a safe environment.
“We’ve found out that a lot of accidents happen at work due to lack of knowledge of PPE.
“Some of them will handle chemicals and they must learn how to wear gloves and protect their nostrils to avoid contact with the chemicals and food.’’
The third stage, he said, would be on application handling of poisonous substances.
“To have an effective rat baiting, we must follow the activity of the rodents, especially at night when are more active.
“It is unethical to bait in the afternoon because rodent are active at night, and non-targeted pests or animals could be affected.
“To embark on baiting, it should be done at night with no human presence, especially in the markets.
Baiting should be done on straight lines for easy identification and collection of dead rodents and for data purposes, once they have the basic knowledge; they are ready to hit the road as professionals in fumigation services.
He advised that only trained personnel should be engaged in fumigation services for effective results and to achieve the purpose of reducing rodents in the society.
“The effort is to ensure that the government’s objective of averting the incidences of Lassa Fever and other vector-borne diseases which is already approaching an epidemic level is attained.’’
Benson said the resource persons for the training came from environmental health, chemicals manufacturing industry, health officers and the Fire Service among others.
He said that it was hoped that with the project, rodents multiplying ubiquitously across the mega-city state would be exterminated from residential places and markets using hi-tech chemicals and equipment that would make their decomposing bodies non-infectious.
Benson revealed that the bounty, “Kill rats, make money in Lagos’’ would help to de-rat the state, especially with Lassa fever infecting more people in some states.
“We will buy off at least 20 rats for a yet-to-be determined amount; in Lagos, now it is operation kill rats and make money.
“A rat has 28 days gestation period and in the past years, there has not been any solid structure on ground to curb them from infecting humans with diseases,’’ he said.
Vector-borne diseases are infections transmitted by the bite of infected arthropod species, such as rats, mosquitoes, ticks, triatomine bugs, sandflies and blackflies.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) says Vector-borne diseases account for more than 17 per cent of all infectious diseases, causing more than 1 million deaths annually.
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