By; AMOS TAUNA, Kaduna
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), has confirmed the spread of the Sokoto and Zamfara strange disease to Kaduna with a total of seven deaths recorded so far.
The centre has convened a high-level meeting with commissioners of health from the affected states with the fear that the disease may spread to other neighbouring communities.
Dr Jide Idris, the Director-General of the NCDC explained that a total of 196 suspected cases have been reported across Isa, Sabon Birni, and Ilella Local Government Areas (LGAs) of Sokoto State since the outbreak surfaced on March 21, 2024.
According to him, an emergency meeting with Commissioners for Health from Sokoto and Kaduna States, and also a phone conversation with the Zamfara’s State Commissioner for Health, Hajiya Asabe Balarabe, Dr. Aisha Anka and Hajiya Umma Ahmed, explained that the meeting was to access the situation.
He explained, “the meeting started with a visit to the Sokoto Public Health Emergency Operations Centre, where updates on response activities, ranging from case management, surveillance, risk communication and community engagement (RCCE) were presented.”
He noted that challenges around limited diagnostic capacity in the state and the continued spread of the illness to neighbouring localities, including Zamfara State were raised.
Among those present were representatives from the Sokoto State Ministry of Health, Sokoto State Primary Health Care Development Agency, and partner organisations such as the World Health Organization (WHO), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), eHealth Africa, Solina Centre for International Development and Research (SCIDaR), and Breakthrough Action Nigeria (BA-N).
Idris acknowledged the collaborative efforts of all stakeholders and expressing concern over the lack of a definitive diagnosis and emphasised the urgency of the situation, saying that they are working with their sister agencies at the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD) to ascertain the correct diagnosis of the illness.
He explained that they have been assured that the result would soon be available, stressing that once they get it, information will be shared with the public.
The Director General said they also visited treatment facilities, witnessing firsthand the recovery of patients from the unknown illness, pointing out that the direct observation provided valuable insight into the effectiveness of ongoing treatment protocols and the resilience of affected individuals.
Beyond the technical aspects of the response, Idris also engaged with traditional leaders, including a visit to the Sultan of Sokoto, who was briefed on the mission’s objectives.
