The Federal Government has said there have been 13,420
cerebrospinal meningitis cases and 1,069 deaths recorded in 23 states.
It noted that efforts by the Nigeria Centre for Disease
Control (NCDC) had led to the decline in some states.
Technical Assistant in the NCDC, Dr. Lawal Bakare, in a
statement promised that the Federal Government and its partners would continue
to work to reduce the effect of the current outbreak in affected communities.
Bakare said, “Planning has already started to prevent future
outbreaks and ensure better preparedness. As of May 9, 2017, 13,420 suspected
cases of meningitis have been reported from 23 states with 1,069 deaths, giving
a case fatality ratio of eight per cent.
“In the previous two weeks, the most affected states
(Zamfara, Sokoto, Katsina and Kebbi) have all recorded a drop in number of
cases. Kebbi and Niger states reported zero deaths over this period.
“Reactive vaccination campaigns, led by the National Primary
Health Care Development Agency, were successfully conducted first in Zamfara
State and subsequently in Sokoto State.
“Efforts at securing more vaccines for the country are
continuing with another batch of vaccines expected to arrive in Nigeria in the
next few days, just as mobilising vaccines for other affected states continues
to be a priority.”
The statement added: “The teams sent to Sokoto and Zamfara
states are helping to improve on sample collection and transportation,
laboratory testing of samples, the clinical care of meningitis patients as well
as building the needed capacity to control the outbreak.
“In addition, the NMEOC has commenced a national meningitis
prevention campaign, prioritising the states within the Africa Meningitis Belt
in Nigeria.
“This campaign will be driving prevention messages through
the mass media, new media and community structures to reach households and
communities in the 19 northern states of Nigeria and the FCT.”
By Ifreke Inyang
