The Federal Government admitted that it was caught off guard by the outbreak of Type C of meningitis which has killed no fewer than 336 persons in the
The Federal Government admitted that it was caught off guard by the outbreak of Type C of meningitis which has killed no fewer than 336 persons in the country. This came as one person was confirmed dead in Cross River State following an outbreak of the disease in the state.
The Minister of State, Health, Osagie Ehanire, said the government would stop the disease from spreading just as he has briefed the ministry and the state governments concerned along with the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control, Nigeria Primary Health Care Development Agencies, World Health Organisation, UNICEF and other partners.
He confirmed that 2,996 cases of the disease had been reported as of Wednesday, with 336 persons losing their lives.
“In other to allay the fear of Nigerians, we want to make it clear that this is not a sign of the failing of the system, it is a fact that nature played a very different stroke this time that caught everybody off guard,” the minister said.
He said what made the outbreak to be peculiar was that it was caused by a different meningitis germ, which is the Type C.
He added, “The most affected states have been Zamfara, Sokoto and Katsina and together they have about 85 per cent of the cases. As of today, there have been 2,996 cases in 16 states and 54 local government areas. There have been 336 fatalities of which 141 have been confirmed by laboratory tests. There is reactive vaccinations going on already, there is also social mobilisation going on, teams are working in various states affected particularly the most affected ones.
“There are two treatment centres being set up in every local government and kits have been distributed so that doctors can take samples to laboratory for testing. There are cases of field epidaemologists who are doing findings and contact tracing in other to interrupt the spread of this epidemic.”
When asked if the Federal Government agreed with Zamfara State Governor, Abdulaziz Yari, who attributed the meningitis outbreak to punishment from God as a result of sins, the minister said, “The Federal Government does not have views of that nature and I am not sure the state government can really continue to make that statement.
Meanwhile, a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party led by Ahmed Makarfi has said that it is wrong to blame God for the outbreak of meningitis in the country. It said that rather than blame God, Yari should blame his political party, the All Progressives Congress, for its inability to curtail the scourge. Adeyeye said that the primary responsibility of any government was to protect the lives and property of its citizens, adding that the APC government had remained insensitive to the plight of Nigerians.
He said that the government had wasted so much funds on the State House Clinic with no tangible result but neglected other health centres and clinics across the country that he said had the capacity to manage the health challenges of other Nigerians.
Punch
