The Erelu Iyaloja of Akureland, Chief Mercy Adefunmilayo Adekanye, has advised market women to embrace personal hygiene which she described as a way of combating epidemic.
The Erelu Iyaloja stated this at the popular Oja Oba (King’s Market) in Akure during the flag off of sensitisation programme on Lassa fever and other diseases initiated by Medical and Health Community Development Corps Members of Akure South Local Government.
Adekanye who played a pivotal role during the exercise praised the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, for the initiative and charged the traders and those who patronise the ancient market to ensure they used hand sanitizer each time they visited toilet.
“My people, you are all aware the havoc the Lassa fever epidemic has caused us in Ondo State, I want to enjoin you to use hand sanitizer each time you visit toilet and where that is not available, proper hand washing with soap or ashes should be promoted.
“Ensure that you cook food in a very neat and clean environment, and make sure you cover very well the left over food to prevent rats, the major carrier of Lassa fever from defecating or urinating on it.”
The Iyaloja promised that the market would henceforth continue with the routine environmental sanitation exercise at the market place and equally intensify monitoring market women to ensure that they conformed with health safety measures, particularly, personal hygiene.
Speaking at the event, the State Coordinator, NYSC, Mrs. Grace Akpabio informed the gathering that it was expedient for people to rid their surroundings of bushes as that was a major causative factor that encouraged rat breeding in the house.
Also encouraging personal hygiene, Akpabio urged the people to report to the nearest medical facility if they discovered that their health status was challenged.
The NYSC boss said that the scheme in the state had put all machinery in place to combat the dreaded and killer disease such as awareness campaign and sensitisation for all corps members in their respective local governments throughout the state.
She announced that parents and guardians should be less worried as the management of NYSC had paid advocacy visit to the federal and state government hospitals to seek their collaboration and assistance to combat the disease.
Akpabio, before the programme paid homage to the Deji of Akureland, Oba Aladetoyinbo Ogunlade Aladelusi, Odundun II.
The chief of staff to the paramount ruler, Prince Toyin Aladetoyinbo, who received the state coordinator on behalf of the monarch said that the programme had the blessings of the king.
The corps members who participated in the programme later donated hand sanitizers, antiseptic soaps and insecticides to some of the market women.
