An NGO, Phosguard Fumigant Ltd, in partnership with the Lagos State government, has introduced a bounty, “Kill rats, make money.’’ Under the project, rodents multiplying ubiquitously across the mega-city state are to be exterminated from residential places and markets using hi-tech chemicals and equipment that will make their decomposing bodies non-infectious.
Mr Oluwasegun Benson, the Chief Executive Officer of the company, on Sunday in Lagos said that the bounty would help to de-rat the state. 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. “As part of efforts to de-rat the state and prevent epidemic from Lassa Fever and other diseases, a bounty has been placed on rats in the state.
“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.
“We are already approaching an epidemic level which can lead to a pandemic level with Lassa Fever.