Council of Health Ministers, University of Ibadan commences a 10-day Human Botfly Awareness Campaign

 By Babalola Blessing Adeola 

Following the awareness made by the UISU health team, the Council of Health Ministers, chaired by Aduragbemi Kehinde Olanrewaju, launched a 10-day awareness campaign on the rampant cases of human botfly on campus.

The Day 1 campaign emphasized that Human Botfly Myiasis is a parasitic skin infestation caused by botfly larvae, and the carrier agent could be a mosquito.

The council encouraged the student community to be on the lookout for more information about the parasite over the next 10 days.

On August 4, 2025, the University of Ibadan Health Advisory Committee released a memo confirming cases of Human Botfly Larvae Infestation within the school community. Acting upon this, the Council of Health Ministers, University of Ibadan, commenced a 10-day awareness campaign which started on August 6, 2025, to educate members of the university community about the Human Botfly Larvae.

 A correspondent of Queen Elizabeth II Hall Press interviewed the Health Minister of the hall, who shared her thoughts about the Human botfly and her advice to Queenites. 

QEIIHP: Can we know you ma?

Oluwaseun: My name is Oluwaseun Fatunmbi, a 400-level Pharmacy student and the Health Minister of Queen Elizabeth II Hall.

QEIIHP: On August 4, 2025, the University of Ibadan Health Advisory released a memo about the Human botfly larvae, what is that all about?

Oluwaseun: So, the University Health Services reported some cases of botfly incidents in Jaja, suspecting an infestation. Botflies are insects whose larvae dig into the skin of the host and live there. It commonly resembles a boil or a papule with a small hole serving as a breathing space for the larvae. You can find images online.

QEIIHP: We all know that this human botfly larvae are new in the university community, what do you think brought about this?

Oluwaseun: There are a lot of factors that could have caused this botfly infestation. But the fact that they new here does not mean that we should not practice proper preventive or safety measures. Factors like climate change or a displacement of their original habitat cause them to migrate from wherever they came from. But where they came from does not really matter, how we present ourselves is the priority here.

QEIIHP: So, what can you say about that, seeing that mosquitoes are ubiquitous, especially in the school community?

Oluwaseun: Botflies are not just transmitted via mosquitoes. They are small enough that they can lay their eggs on any large insect. Houseflies could also be vectors. It is just that houseflies don’t stay long enough on the human body for them to actually deposit the eggs but it is possible. Botflies can also lay their eggs on the blades of grass which is why cutting the grass and fumigation is important at this point. Necessary measures have been put in place and the hostel management have been informed generally.

QEIIHP: Seeing that we have confirmed cases of this human botfly larvae in the school community and the carrier, mosquitoes, an insect that is almost everywhere, what effect do you think this will have on the school community in the long run?

Oluwaseun: Increased consciousness, things that could have been previously ignored or pushed back will be taken more seriously. Getting mosquito nets, cutting grasses, inspecting their clothes properly after drying them outside and so on. 

QEIIHP: What is your advice to Queenites? 

Oluwaseun: I think if we all stood together, we can nip this infestation in the bud before it starts having serious repercussions that can affect us in the long run.