1.1 billion dollars is required for the vaccination of over 22 million persons in the five states affected by Type C cerebro-spinal meningitis disease outbreak, it was learnt yesterday.
The disease has already claimed 328 lives in five states of Zamfara, Sokoto, Kebbi, Katsina and Niger while 16 other states have recorded at least one case each of the disease.
The Acting Director General of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Emmanuel Odu, who briefed the Senate Committee on Primary Healthcare and communicable Diseases on efforts being made to contain the outbreak, told the lawmakers that each vaccine costs between $30 and $50.
The NPHCDA DG said that Meningitis vaccine is not only expensive but also scarce.
The information is coming as Senate President Bukola Saraki assured the Ministry of Health of the Senate’s commitment to supporting all efforts to put an end to the outbreak of meningitis in the country.
In a series of tweets on his @BukolaSaraki handle, the Senate President stated that he had spoken with the Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole, to assure him of the Senate’s commitment to help end the epidemic.
Saraki said:“I applaud FG’s, Ministry of Health, stakeholders and @WHO’s effort to fight meningitis in Nigeria. We need all hands on deck!
“I spoke to Minister of Health, Prof. @IsaacFAdewole, on the #meningitis outbreak to assure him of @NGRSenate’s support.
“With a 15% mortality rate, the @NGRSenate stands ready to respond quickly to any requests for emergency assistance for #meningitis.”
Since December 2015, Nigeria has recorded about 2,524 cases of meningitis.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO)/National Coordinator of the NCDC, Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu, noted that the Type C strain of the disease is new to West Africa, hence the seeming unpreparedness to tackle it.
Ihekweazu said the vaccination of people would commence tomorrow following the procurement of the vaccines from the World Health Organisation (WHO).
He said the vaccine was only procured two weeks ago as the criterion for application is that the country must be experiencing an outbreak.
He noted that the center, working in collaboration with the state governments, Ministry of Health, and the National Primary Healthcare Commission, has adopted a motion three pronged line of action for prevention, early detection and pushing hard to ensure the vaccines are available.
He said: “This disease is associated with overcrowding, particularly in this weather. We cannot tell people not to overcrowd their homes but we are them to make sure their homes are well ventilated, and to observe good personal hygiene.”
Ihekweazu said while available treatments work when the disease is detected early, most victims arrive the hospital late for various reasons.
He noted that the center has however enlisted community and traditional rulers to help persuade their people to go to the hospital immediately they feel sick.
He underscored the need for the procurement of adequate vaccines to immunize Nigerians ahead of 2018 heat season.
While the center has sent support teams to Zamfara and other affected states for rapid response, alongside the establishment of treatment centers, not much has been done with the 16 states that are not fully affected, he admitted.
Ihekweazu said the 16 states would be part of the center’s response approach.
Chairman of the Committee, Senator Mao Ohuabunwa (Abia North), lamented that awareness remains low across the country.
Ohuabunwa said the widespread outbreak could have been averted if relevant agencies had commenced campaigns to raise awareness on preventive measures when it first started in December 2016.
He said: “If this had been detected early, then we would have had rounds of vaccinations and would not be having this epidemic.”
Senator Borofice Ajayi (Ondo North) also blamed lack of sensitisation campaigns for the widespread outbreak.
He said: “Since it showed up in the second week of December, the alert to the public is not good enough, particularly as it is known that affected people come late to hospital. This may be because many people do not know how it presents.”
President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday condoled with the families of the victims of the deadly cerebrospinal meningitis (CSM), which has ravaged some parts of the country.
Lagos State alerted members of the public on the dangers of CSM, even though no case has been recorded
This came as Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Zamfara chapter and the state’s residents, accused the state government of negligence in the handling of the meningitis outbreak that has killed nearly 200 people there.
Sokoto State Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal delivered the president’s message when he led a team on a condolence visit to areas affected by the outbreak in Danchadi village and surrounding areas in Bodinga Local Government Area.
In Sokoto alone, up to 41 people are known to have died.
Tambuwal said: “Our leader and President, Muhammadu Buhari, has asked me to condole with all of you over the outbreak of the disease in your localities. He has also asked me to tell you that everything is being done to contain the outbreak and ensure it does not occur again.
“Health officials have been deployed to affected areas and they have been working round the clock to ensure your safety. We urge you to follow their instructions and at the same time cooperate with them as we tackle this challenge.”
According to Tambuwal, more than 700,000 people will be immunised by the state government against the Type C strain of the virus in the state’s 23 local government areas.
But Lagos State Commissioner for Health Dr. Jide Idris, in a statement yesterday, urged residents to report any suspected cases to the nearest health facilities.
He added that no case of CSM has been recorded in Lagos State contrary to what has been published.
“However as a responsive government, we deem it fit to alert the public,” he said.
Idris said the ravaging ailment that broke out in some northern part of the country was caused by Neisseria Meningitides type C, which is slightly different from the causative agent of the seasonal CSM in Nigeria.
He explained that CSM is a dangerous and a life-threatening disease that affects the thin layers of the tissue around the brain and spinal cord of an infected human person and it is caused by bacteria.
He added that Cerebrospinal meningitis is an epidemic prone disease that spreads from person to person through contact with discharges or droplets from nose and throat of an infected person, adding that it can also be transmitted through kissing, sneezing and coughing, especially among people living in close quarters, hotels, refugee camp, barracks, public transportation and areas with poor ventilation or overcrowded places.
Idris explained that the disease usually manifest with high body temperature, pain and stiffness of the neck, headache, vomiting, fear of light, restlessness and confusion stressed that death may occur if not promptly and properly managed.
The commissioner, therefore, emphasised the need for the observance of high standards of personal and environmental hygiene as a preventive measure against the disease.
Idris said health workers in the 57 local governments and local council development areas have been placed on high alert and, therefore, the disease surveillance and monitoring activities have since been intensified.
The Zamfara Chapter NMA and the state’s residents have accused the state government of negligence in the handling of the meningitis outbreak that has killed nearly 200 people there.
The medical association said the government failed to prepare despite warnings, and has still not responded appropriately to the epidemic.
NMA, in its statement as reported by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) said it had observed that the state government was not prepared for the outbreak despite glaring signs of epidemic.
It said months into the present outbreak of meningitis, Zamfara government was yet to provide the needed vaccines for the general population or at least for the most at risk population.
The association also decried non-engagement of relevant officials and individuals in the management of the outbreak.