Communiqué issued at the end of Penpushing Media Committee discussion on Coronavirus: a Diversion from the deadlier Lassa fever in Nigeria on Tuesday 17th of March, 2020.

The committee is made is made up of 9 participants drawn from people of different professional background. The discussions took place online with every member dropping their contributions. So, from various submissions, the following observations are made :  1. Both Covid – 19 and Lassa Fever are killer diseases. 2. Lassa Fever is more deadlier than Coronavirus.

These are supported by verifiable facts. In the first quarter of 2019, Lassa fever recorded Case Fatality Rate of 23% more than Coronavirus which is now estimated at 2%. Coronavirus have more or greater tendency to spread more rapidly than Lassa fever and hence the public attention it is getting.

Yet, Coronavirus should not become diversionary at the expense of the more deadlier Lassa fever. So, all efforts must be sustained in combating all diseases always.  Lassa fever have the propensity of becoming endemic due to its unprecedented spread in Nigeria and going by the seeming unchecked vectors having the opportunity to continually interact with larger human population in the country.

Based on the above observations, we therefore agreed on the following recommendations                             *Nigeria has done very well in the effort to contain Coronavirus, but preventive efforts and public awareness should be sustained.

* Covid-19 should however not becomes an obstacle in the effort to tackling killer diseases in Nigeria. Therefore, the Nigeria Centre For Disease Control should step up efforts and put their focus on Lassa Fever and any other epidemic diseases in the land.

*A national, state and local policy should be developed and enforced to promote personal hygiene and environmental sanitation.

*Citizens should be sensitized and enlightened to adopt as a lifestyle any safety habits that may be forced on them or naturally imbibed at this trying period.

*Government at all levels should provide adequate infrastructure with the capacity to respond, diagnose and treat any Public Health Emergencies throughout the nation.

*Media Practitioners should also endeavor to give adequate publicity and awareness about Lassa Fever to the general public as much as they are doing in the case of COVID-19.

Above all, the take home message for Nigerians during this period are : maintain personal hygiene including regular hand washing with soap and water, respiratory hygiene and Social distancing