Ebola: Agency in Niger State to Educate Scavengers on Personal Hygiene

The Niger State Environmental Protection Agency (NISEPA), on Friday, said it had concluded arrangements to sensitise scavengers who search refuse dumps for items to sell on personal hygiene to avoid the spread of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD).

Mr Umar Bawa, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Environment, made the disclosure in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Minna.

He said "we have concluded arrangements to train scavengers in the state on personal hygiene to avoid the outbreak of EVD in Niger, even though there is no sign of the pandemic in the state."

Bawa, who was not specific on when the training would start, said there was need to enlighten the scavengers on personal hygiene since they make their living from the refuse dump sites.

The permanent secretary said ``most diseases emanate from dirty environment, so there is need to make such scavengers understand the nature of their job and how to protect themselves.

"Now that the EVD is spreading from outside the country, we need to put structures on ground to protect ourselves."

He said the Agency was doing everything possible to bring the scavengers together for the workshop. (NAN)