FG acquires 500,000 doses of vaccine from WHO in fight against Meningitis

The Federal Government of Nigeria has procured 500,000 doses of vaccine from WHO in fight against the spread of Cerebrospinal Meningitis, CSM, in the country according to reports.

Another 800,000 units are expected from the British government to tackle the outbreak in Zamfara and Katsina states, even as the Federal Ministry of Health issued a public advisory confirming 328 deaths from 2,524 infected persons in 99 local government areas in 16 states of the country.

The Minister of Health, Prof Isaac Adewole, in a statement said there would be a meeting with the International Review Group of WHO to request approval for additional vaccines to fight the spread.

“We have started working with all the affected states in specific areas of collaboration on massive awareness and sensitization, laboratory investigation and analysis, proper documentation and disease surveillance techniques through the National Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, and National Primary Health Care Development Authority, NPHCDA, which have been of tremendous support since the outbreak.”

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Statistics revealed by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC shows that ever since the outbreak of Meningitis disease in the country in February, 1,966 suspected cases had been recorded, while 109 had been confirmed dead.

The figures were made available by the Chief Executive Officer of the centre, Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, who disclosed that ever since the outbreak of Cerebro Spinal Meningitis, CSM, in five states, the NCDC had deployed a response team to the affected states to vaccinate the residents and control further spread of the disease.

In a break down showing the worst hit states, Zamfara has the highest number of confirmed cases of 44, followed by Katsina with 32, Sokoto, 19; Kebbi 10 and Niger, 4.

 

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