Biosafety agency assures of inter-agency collaboration to contain diseases

The Director General and Chief Executive Officer of the National Biosafety Management Agency (NBMA), Dr Rufus Ebegba, said the agency was working with sister agencies to ensure that the spread of Lassa fever and any other disease caused by biological agent is contained, and not allowed to cause any more harm to humans and the environment.

The DG, in a statement asked the public to be vigilant, and to take necessary protective measures such as avoiding contact with rats, blocking all rat hideouts, storing foodstuffs in rodent proof containers, cooking all foods thoroughly, and thorough washing of hands after contact with a sick person.

He also urged Nigerians not to panic, as the government was doing all within its power to ensure that the deadly Corona virus is not allowed into the country.

“This virus can affect the lungs, and symptoms include common colds and flu, and can spread person to person through coughing and sneezing. Its symptoms include difficulty in breathing, fever and coughing, and can lead to organ failure, pneumonia and death,” he said.

The best way to combat the virus, according to the DG, is to avoid close contact with people who are found to be infected with it, or generally observed to be sick.

“The federal government is making very swift moves to ensure that the Lassa fever virus is properly contained, while ensuring that the corona virus does not come into our borders,” he said.

He advised citizens to avoid countries already confirmed to have cases of corona virus, saying, with the creation of the new Biosecurity Department, the NBMA will collaborate with line Agencies and stakeholders to ensure that harmful biological agents are contained and eliminated.

He said the just concluded consultative meeting with stakeholders has given the agency a good lead in ensuring a very robust Biosecurity Emergency Response strategy and policy.

“We are happy with the level of willingness by sister agencies to collaborate with the NBMA in ensuring that harmful biological agents are adequately contained to avoid harm to humans and the environment. We are working on and will come out with a comprehensive national Biosecurity Emergency Response strategy and policy that will check biological agents and ensure that they are adequately contained,” he said.

He assured Nigerians that the NBMA will not rest on its oars in the bid to ensure that humans and the environments are safe.