By; BALA B. BITRUS, Minna
Niger State Government has intensified public enlightenment campaigns against the spread of the deadly Type C strand of the Cerebro Spinal Meningitis just as nine of the 33 persons that have died of meningitis in the state were said to have been killed by the deadly Type C strand.
The government however said it has stepped up efforts at checking the spread of the disease across the state as it awaits the arrival of the doses of special vaccines donated to the country by international donor agencies.
Executive Director of the state Primary Health Care Development Agency, (SPCDA) Dr.Yahaya Na’uzo disclosed that nine persons were comfirmed to have been killed by the more deadly Type C Meningitis while 24 others died of the Types A and B strands of the disease.
About three weeks ago, the first cases of the disease were reported at Magama, Rijau and Kontagora local government areas of the state.
But few days afterwards, the disease spread to other parts of the state with fatalities recorded before the state government stepped up efforts at checking it through mass enlightenment campaigns on radio and via community/town crying strategies as well as the use of traditional institutions to reach out to the mass of the people.
Dr. Na’uzo said the state government deployed health workers to local government councils particularly such as Magama, Rijau, Agwara, Kontagora where the spread was fast sweeping.
He said the government was laying emphasis on keeping hygienic health practices even as it enjoined citizens to ensure proper ventilation in their homes by leaving their doors and windows open and avoid densely crowded places.
The SPCDA Executive Director explained that the Type C. Meningitis cases earlier reported at Suleja and Paikoro local government councils were isolated cases by two persons that were on transit to the places from Sokoto.
He revealed that the affected persons were properly quarantined and evacuated to avoid spread of the disease to other people and places.
He said cases of the disease have significantly been reduced as communities respond to government awareness campaigns to check the disease as preventive measures.
“Our communities have been sensitised to report any symptom of the disease to the nearest health centre to them”. He said government was mindful of the need to prevent the disease than to to do any secondary approach.
“We have been telling our people to be watchful of such early symptoms as fever, vomiting and stiffness of the neck region.”
Dr. Na’uzo urged all the citizens across the state to keep good oral hygienic practices, ensure proper ventilation by leaving their doors and windows open for free air movements and rehydrate themselves frequently.
He said the state government was awaiting the arrival of the doses of the special Type C Meningitis vaccines donated to the country by international donor agencies which the state hopes to leverage on.
The World Health Organisation had earlier last week announced the donation of 500,000 doses of the cerebro spinal meningitis for the treatment of the victims of the disease.
