Meningitis Outbreak: Jigawa Targets 16040 Residents In Most Hit Areas
By DAHIRU SULEIMAN, DUTSE.
NO fewer than 16040 households in each of the worst affected thirteen LGA’s in jigawa state are expected to be vaccinated against the ailments as part of preventive measures in curbing the spread of the outbreak.
It could be recalled that recently the town was engulf by outbreak of Cerebral Spinal Meningitis (CSM), where it claimed fourteen lives of children between the ages of two to five years.
This assertion was stated by the state primary health care executive secretary Dr Kabiru Ibrahim through the jigawa state immunization officer Hassan shu’aibu while briefing newsmen at Cerebral Spinal Meningitis (CSM), reactive vaccination exercise at Majia town.
He stated that the exercise targeted over 16040 people in the twenty settlements of the town from the age of two to twenty nine years.
He explained that this was part of government effort to control cerebral spinal meningitis out break that occurred recently at Majia town recently that claimed the lives children.
He added that the Majia case need special consideration as it exceeded the number of cases considered to be an out break.
“Two cmc cases in every 100,000 population is considered as outbreak but Majia cases has exceeded the standard”. He said.
State immunization officer further revealed that 17 fix post and three special teams where posted to cover twenty settlements in Majia ward within five days.
He explained that the exercise is in collaboration with Federal government,state,local and donors agencies.
Hassan Shu’aibu explained that National primary Health Care provides 22000 doses of vaccination, state take care of all the logistics and operational cost,while the donors agencies take care of all the technical support,monitoring and supervision of the exercise.
Addressing newsmen on the outbreak Jigawa state Commissioner of Health, Dr Abba Umar Zakari said that state government has given directive for the procurement of drugs worth N98 Million to be distributed among the 31 new primary Health Care centres across the state in order to curb the menace of any out break of disease.
The commissioner said every year the change of weather comes with certain diseases such as the Cerebral Spinal Meningitis (CSM), Cholera as well as the hot weather associated diseases.
Dr Zakari further explained that the state falls within the belt on which whenever the time comes round such out break is expected to occur without notice, that is why measures are usually taken as pro-active.
He confirmed that 14 people had died of the CSM since it started some months ago. He pointed out that among the 51persons suspected to have been infected and taken to the hospital for laboratory test, ten were confirmed to have the CSM.
He also commended Federal,state government and donors agencies in their effort to control the menace in the area.
He also advised residents to compliment governments efforts by taking all their children to the nearest vaccination post in the area.
