The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Cerebrospinal Meningitis (CSM)

  • Plateau confirms three cases of CSM

    Dr. Kunden Deyin, the Plateau Commissioner for Health, said on Monday that the State had confirmed three cases of Cerebrospinal Meningitis (CSM).

    Deyin told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Jos, that the three cases manifested clinical symptoms of the disease and laboratory tests confirmed them to be cerebrospinal meningitis.

    He added, however, that the tests were yet to ascertain whether the cases were type “A” or “C”.

    Deyin recalled that Plateau last administered vaccines for CSM type “A” in 2013, stressing that the vaccine was expected to last for 10 years in the individual’s system.

    The commissioner said that the first suspected cases, reported from Lantang South and Mikang Local Government Areas, turned out to be false after laboratory tests.

    According to him, for a state to qualify for the type “C” vaccines, it must have recorded three confirmed cases of the disease.

    “It means that Plateau has qualified, but accessing the vaccines for type “C” is very difficult; currently the vaccines available worldwide are five million doses,” he said.

    He said that the state was working toward curtailing the spread of the disease, and identified its major symptoms to include severe headaches, fever and neck stiffness.

    The other symptoms include altered consciousness, vomiting and photophobia (fear of light), while convulsions could manifest in children.

    The official urged Plateau residents to be vigilant and to report any of such symptoms to the nearest health facility.

    He also advised people to avoid overcrowded places and to ensure that their bedrooms were well ventilated.

  • NARD urges Kwara to raise awareness on CSM

    A medical practitioner, Dr Ige Kolawole, has urged the Kwara Government to raise awareness on the causes, symptoms and prevention of Cerebrospinal Meningitis (CSM).

    Kolawole, who is the President of the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD), University of Ilorin Chapter, made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ilorin on Monday.

    According to him, there is low awareness about the disease in the state; as such the government needs to step up its awareness campaign on the disease.

    “The sensitisation programme has not been adequate, so there is need for more awareness so that people will be aware of everything about the disease.

    “The media is there, it is just that the government needs to use it so that the information will go round the state,” he emphasised.

    Kolawole assured that members of the association were ready to take on any emergency in the event of any outbreak of CSM in the state.

    He added that the association has distributed series of handbills to its members and would embark on a sensitisation walk during the week.

    Also, Dr Kunle Olawepo, the Chairman of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), advised the people to go to the hospital if they experience severe headache, fever, neck stiffness, nausea and vomiting.

    “Surveillance needs to be improved and people must as well ensure they see a doctor when they notice health problems,” he stressed.

     

  • UNICEF donates 1,000 doses of CSM drugs to FCT

    UNICEF donates 1,000 doses of CSM drugs to FCT

    The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has donated 1,000 doses of drugs to FCT Primary Health Care Development Board for the treatment of Cerebrospinal Meningitis (CSM) in Abuja.

    The Executive Secretary of the Board, Dr Rilwanu Mohammed, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Thursday.

    He explained that the drugs had been distributed to all General Hospitals and Teaching Hospital in the territory.

    According to him, World Health Organisation (WHO) also donated three stereotyping machines to carry out tests of CSM in FCT.

    He told NAN that those machines were distributed to Maitama General Hospital, Jabi Medical Centre and University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada.

    The secretary urged people living in Abuja to desist from self medication and report when they notice any sign of meningitis to the nearest hospitals.

    Mohammed said that so far six persons had died out of 10 suspected cases recorded in Abuja Municipal, Bwari and Kuje Area Councils.

    He said that he had exhausted the vaccines given to FCT but awaiting additional stocks from National Primary Health Care Development Agency for the continuation of Immunisation against meningitis.

    He said that his board had carried out immunisation in all the 22 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps in Abuja because of their vulnerability to the disease.

    The secretary enjoined residents of FCT not to panic, saying that the government was committed to tackling the spread of CSM in Abuja.

     

  • Meningitis: UNICEF donates drugs to Abuja

    The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has donated 1,000 doses of drugs to FCT Primary Health Care Development Board for the treatment of Cerebrospinal Meningitis (CSM) in Abuja.

    The Executive Secretary of the Board, Dr Rilwanu Mohammed, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Thursday.
    He explained that the drugs had been distributed to all General Hospitals and Teaching Hospital in the territory.
    According to him, World Health Organisation (WHO) also donated three stereotyping machines to carry out tests of CSM in FCT.
    He told NAN that those machines were distributed to Maitama General Hospital, Jabi Medical Centre and University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada.
    The secretary urged people living in Abuja to desist from self medication and report when they notice any sign of meningitis to the nearest hospitals.
    Mohammed said that so far six persons had died out of 10 suspected cases recorded in Abuja Municipal, Bwari and Kuje Area Councils.
    He said that he had exhausted the vaccines given to FCT but awaiting additional stocks from National Primary Health Care Development Agency for the continuation of Immunisation against meningitis.
    He said that his board had carried out immunisation in all the 22 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps in Abuja because of their vulnerability to the disease.
    The secretary enjoined residents of FCT not to panic, saying that the government was committed to tackling the spread of CSM in Abuja.

  • 16 die from Cerebrospinal Meningitis outbreak in Niger

    16 people have died from the outbreak of Cerebrospinal Meningitis (CSM) in Niger state. The state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Mustapha Jibril disclosed on Tuesday.

    Confirming the deaths from the outbreak of CSM while briefing newsmen in Minna, the commissioner said that 31 cases have been recorded in four local government areas of the state which include Magama, Rijau, Kontagora and Agwara.

    He said that the deaths were recorded in two villages in Magama local government area as a result of refusal of the affected patients to go to health facilities.

    “We have had 23 CSM cases from Magama local government area, four from Rijau, three from Kontagora and one from Agwara. The 16 deaths were recorded in Magama local government area. The death involved seven male and nine female.”

    He added that 384 suspected CSM cases with 8 laboratory confirmation and 49 deaths have been recorded so far in 21 states in the country.

    Jibril said that the first case of death of CSM in Niger state was discovered on the 6th of March by the District Surveillance and Notification Officer in Magama lamenting that the Ministry have problems in persuading the people in the local government to access healthcare as their belief in orthodox treatment is high.

    He added that contrary to belief of the villagers that the sickness was caused by witchcraft, the disease was actually caused by a ‘Type C’ bacterium.

    The Commissioner said that case tracing is ongoing and antibiotics is being given to people in the four local government areas urging anyone who is sick to go to the nearest hospital for treatment.

    “Actions taken by the state include, outbreak response has been activated as the state is working with the World Health Organization in responding to the outbreak, the state is also prepositioning drugs at Magama local government area and case management is ongoing.”