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Tag: meningitis

  • Meningitis kills three in Yobe

    Meningitis kills three in Yobe

    Three persons of the 10 diagnosed of Cebro-Spinal Meningitis in Yobe State have died, Commissioner for Health Dr Bello Kawuwa, said yesterday.

    He spoke at the kick off of measles vaccination campaign in Damaturu, the state capital.

    According to him, the government, in collaboration with the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHDA) and development partners, have begun early campaign and vaccination of children from one to six years old.

    He said: “The immunisation, which targets 771,778 children, will be conducted at health centres and designated fixed posts. The exercise is staggered in two phases – the first comprising eight councils from February 7 to 11; and the second between February 14 and 18.

    “It is our obligation as parents to routinely immunise our children against all vaccine-preventable diseases; routine immunisation is given at health facilities by qualified healthcare givers.”

    The Executive Secretary, Yobe Primary Healthcare Management Board, Dr Hauwa Goni, urged parents to cooperate with health and medical personnel to ensure the success of the exercise.

  • Cuba to strengthen economic relations with Nigeria

    Cuba to strengthen economic relations with Nigeria

    Cuban Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Carlos Saso, said his country would strengthen economic relations with Nigeria to boost trade between both countries.

    Saso said this when he visited Mr Adetokunbo Kayode, the President of Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry, on Monday in Abuja.

    Media and Protocol Officer of the chamber, Mr Gena Lubem, said in a statement that the ambassador stressed the need to galvanize resources for more joint economic activities between the countries.

    Read also: Cuba to partner Nigeria in medicine, biotechnology

    He said that Cuba would explore more relations with Nigeria in the health industry, agriculture and sports.

    According to him, Cuba is interested in manufacturing critical vaccines in Nigeria to tackle endemic ailments like Hepatitis B and C, Meningitis, Lassa fever and Diabetes.

    He added that the country was also interested in the establishment of Cuban-Nigerian joint venture hospitals in Abuja.

    Saso expressed interest in developing a strategic relationship with the Abuja Chamber in these areas to improve commercial activities and enhance the balance of trade between the two countries.

    Receiving the envoy, Kayode commended him for demonstrating genuine interest in improving the economic ties between Nigeria and Cuba.

    “This is in line with the strategic plan of the chamber to forge strong ties with the international business community to develop joint ventures and enhance foreign direct investment,” he said.

    He urged the international community to work with Nigeria in all areas of business, especially now that the business environment was getting better.

    “The chamber is also encouraging Public-Private-Partnerships ( PPP ).

    “The government now realises that the Organized Private Sector ( OPS ) and the public sector exist to advance the economy and the general good of the country.

    “The bodies will also advance the renewed and on-going efforts at ease of doing business programme which is improving the business environment in Nigeria,” Kayode said.

    NAN

  • Minister alerts on meningitis 

    Minister alerts on meningitis 

    Minister of Health, Prof Isaac Adewole has appealed to Nigerians to look out for suspected cases of meningitis, saying the country is already approaching its season.

    Adewole made the appeal in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, at a forum by  a non-governmental organisation (NGO), Network of Reproductive Health Journalists of Nigeria.

    The Minister said the alert was necessary because the country has no money to vaccinate all Nigerians, adding that meningitis is seasonal and this is the season.

    “That is why we are saying Nigerians should be on the look out for it. It is so easy to treat. The vaccine is expensive. When a case is detected, we have an epidemic threshold, then we quickly vaccinate people in the local government. That is the best we can do for now.  When we are more prosperous, then we can vaccinate everybody,”he said.

    Adewole added that the conjugate vaccine protects one for 10 years, while the polyvalent vaccine works three years. He added that both are expensive.

    “The conjugate is about $20 a vial, while the polyvalent is $3. So, you can calculate what we need for the Nigerian population, and that is just for the vaccine, not the syringes and other consumables. So, our best bet is to alert Nigerians that this is the season for meningitis and they should beware. We need to contain it,” he noted.

    The Minister said anywhere there is an outbreak of the disease is an indication of a weak system.

    He explained that Kaduna State had an outbreak, but  was contained. And that there was another outbreak in Zamfara State, which killed many people because the system was weak.

    “Meningitis is seasonal and this is the season and we are alerting Nigerians. The terrible outbreak we had in 2017 was because it was on for three months before we got to know. All of us know what meningitis is. It requires a lumbar puncture; look at the fluid cerebrospinal fluid, when you check and it is milky, then you know there is infection and you can culture it and begin treatment.

    “It is so easy to treat because the causative organism is responsive to antibiotics, but when we do not know that it is meningitis, we could treat malaria for three to five days, typhoid for one week; then by the time we get to know, it would have spread. And it spreads like wildfire.

    ‘’As we attend to patients, 10 people can surround the infected person and that one patient would infect six or seven persons and it spreads like that. So, this is the season to alert people to look out and promptly report any suspicion to nearest health facility,” the Minister said.

  • Minister alerts on meningitis outbreak

    Minister alerts on meningitis outbreak

    The minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole has appealed to Nigerians to be on the look out for suspected cases of outbreak of meningitis, saying the country is already approaching its season.
    Professor Adewole made this appeal in Ibadan, Oyo State over the weekend while speaking with the members of Network of Reproductive Health Journalists of Nigeria, on some of his ministry’s preparedness to curtail any reported outbreak of CSM.
    The Minister said the alert is important because the country has no money to vaccinate all Nigerians.
    He said it is known that meningitis is seasonal and this is the season, “that is why we are saying Nigerians should be on the lookout for it. It is so easy to treat. The vaccine is expensive.  When a case is detected we have an epidemic threshold then we quickly vaccinate people in the Local Governments, that is the best we can do for now.  When we are more prosperous then we can vaccinate everybody.”
    Prof Adewole added that the conjugate vaccine will protect everybody for 10 years, the polyvalent vaccine for three years, as he added that for now both are expensive.
    “The conjugate is about $20 a vial, while the polyvalent is $3 a vial, so you can calculate what we need for the Nigeria population, and that is for just the vaccine, not including the syringes and other consumables, so our best bet is to alert Nigerians that this is the season for meningitis and they should beware. We need to contain it,” he noted.
    The Minister retriaiated that anywhere there is an outbreak of CSM, the system is weak, as he explained that Kaduna state had an outbreak but contained it.
    “And there was another outbreak in Zamfara and because the system was weak, it killed many people. Meningitis is seasonal and this is the season and we are alerting Nigerians. The terrible outbreak we had in 2017 was because it was on for three months before we got to know.
    ” All of us know what meningitis is, it requires a lumbar puncture, look at the fluid cerebrospinal fluid, when you check and it is milky, then you know there is infection and you can culture it and begin treatment.
    “It is so easy to treat because the causative organism is responsive to antibiotics, but when we do not know that it is meningitis, we could treat malaria for three to five days, typhoid for one week then by the time we get to know, it would have spread.
    “And it spreads like wildfire. As we attend to patients, 10 people can surround the infected person and that one patient would infect six or seven persons and it spreads like that. So this is the season to alert people to look out and promptly report any suspicion to nearest health facility.”
    “Prompt reporting by people will assist the government to curtail further spread, and even deaths, because, “The government does not have enough money to vaccinate the whole country. The meningococcal vaccine is expensive and what we are trying to do case detection. Once we have a case to treat, it causes what we call an epidemic and we can quickly do its prevention, so help us alert Nigerians that this is the season and we need to curtail it,” said Prof Adewole.
  • Greatest evil as reactions trail bedbug infestations in OAU

    Greatest evil as reactions trail bedbug infestations in OAU

    If any OAU Student were asked to choose which was better, between being sucked to death by losing blood or losing foodstuffs to rats every night; a typical OAU student will rather go for the latter. At least it is better, losing foodstuffs to the destructive tendencies of rats since they will surely respond to poison where fumigation of bed bugs is irresponsive.

    The recent infestation of bed bugs and the clamor by affected students of the prestigious Obafemi Awolowo University is one situation stronger than the cry of hunger from the camps of IDPS or Meningitis pandemonium as history persists to knock on the door when only two years ago, on the 29th September 2015, the University of Lagos was shut down by students due to the influx of bedbugs, rendering habitation on Campus hazardous.

    For Dahunsi Paui, a 500-level Medical Rehabilitation student of the College of Health Sciences of the Obafemi Awolowo University, it was a rosy welcome to the embers of the institution widely renowned for learning and culture, on the eve of his resumption that those heinous insects struck.

    He was quoted thus: “this bedbug rise is really bad! I came back to school just to lie back on the bed and I felt a bite on my neck! I stood up immediately to see bedbugs! The school should do something about it.”

    While others might think there maybe be redemption for the extermination of bedbugs in the various Halls of Residences in the institution, Praise Moses, a 300-level student of the Faculty of Arts and Olabode Tokunbo, a 300 level student of Sociology and Anthropology department beg to differ.

    “There were days I had to go to academics to sleep, just because of bedbugs. My friends in ETF hall used (Not sure about now though) to go to other rooms to sleep. Everywhere is infested; even God cannot save us because OAU is too filthy for him. Only a meticulous cleanup of the hostels will do,” Praise added.

    Tokunbo while narrating his experience stated that the fear of bedbugs is the beginning of wisdom. “Personally,” He stated,  “during my part 2 first semester, I could recall how I was incessantly falling ill unknown to me that it was as a result of bedbug usually coming to feed on me while I was having my sweet siesta, meanwhile I always thought it was malaria as a result of mosquitoes. Fast forward to second semester part 2, and I can count how many nights I passed in my room for the fear of bedbug. And it’s that same reason amongst others for my failing to resume but I have no option than to just resume.”

    The bedbug infestation has continued to generate several reactions from both fresh and stale students alike. Many students have continued to beckon on the management to find lasting solutions to the menace, as well as construct new hostels and properly fumigate its bushy environments.  Lawal Ayobami Victor has blamed the management of the institution of irresponsiveness whilst urging other students to engage in a solidarity stance in bettering the adverse welfare conditions.

    “Let people take some level of responsibility if the management is refusing to do something. After all, it’s not the management that those things are biting. In Nigeria, University management has seized to be in existence in matters relating to students’ welfare, but they are just there for other reasons- Pocket infrastructure.”

    While Ayobami Victor is not wrong in terms of his contribution as he nursed his grievances on the issue long overdue; strong indications from the past are sure to resurface again if care isn’t taken to avoid history repeating itself over and over again.

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  • Meningitis kills eight in Kaduna

    Meningitis kills eight in Kaduna

    The Kaduna State Government said on Monday that eight people have been killed since the outbreak of Cerebro Spinal Meningitis (CSM) was reported in the country in January.

    The state Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr. Paul Dogo, confirmed this when he spoke with journalists in Kaduna on Monday.

    Dogo said the state had recorded the eight deaths from 11 confirmed cases of meningitis as at May 5.

    He said the state recorded 68 suspected cases in 15 local government areas.

    He said the eight cases were confirmed in Kaduna North, Kaduna South, Igabi and Giwa local government areas of the state.

    “This makes Kaduna State to be ranked 22 out of the 28 states with confirmed cases of CSM nationwide, “the commissioner said.

    NAN

     

  • Mystery illness in Liberia appears to be meningitis – Minister

    Medical samples from four of the victims of a disease in Liberia that initially baffled scientists have tested positive for a type of meningitis, the minister of health said.

    So far a total of 31 cases of the so-called mystery illness have been reported, including 13 deaths in an outbreak linked to the attendance of a religious leader’s funeral.

    While the symptoms are different from Ebola, the sudden deaths nevertheless stirred anxiety about an outbreak of the tropical illness which was often spread through burial rituals in the West African epidemic that ended less than a year ago.

    Seven specimens from the deceased tested positive for Neisseria meningitis, a particularly contagious type of bacteria, Dr. Bernice Dahn told reporters.

    “Based on these initial results from the CDC Atlanta (U.S. Centre for Disease Control), we believe that we are dealing with a probable outbreak of meningitis in Sinoe, which spread to Montserrado and Grand Bassa counties,” she added, while calling for calm.

    She said the government was investigating options for mass vaccinations against the illness, characterised by swelling of the membranes in the brain and spinal cord.

    Further laboratory analysis is under way.

  • Meningitis vaccination goes to schools

    Authorities of Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) have directed its agency, Primary Health Care Board (PHCB) to extend the ongoing meningitis vaccination to schools, officers in its employ and residents of the six Area Councils of the FCT.

    The development is part of proactive measures to forestall the spread of the dreaded disease in the FCT.

    FCT Permanent Secretary, Dr. Babatope Ajakaiye who gave the directive in his office during a meeting with the six area council chairmen and other stakeholders urged officers, schools and residents of the territory to be available for the exercise, adding that government would not hesitate to arrest and prosecute those who defy the directive.

    According to a statement issued by the Press Secretary, Office of the FCT Permanent Secretary, Tony Odey, Akjakaiye charged parents and religious organizations to always make their children and followers available for vaccination, while stressing that the FCT Administration would continue to carry out policies and programmes aim at enhancing the wellbeing and welfare of residents of the Territory.

    The Permanent Secretary assured the board of the readiness of FCT Administration to make financial intervention in the event of shortage of vaccines and other facilities.

    He further remarked that no responsible government would watch the lives of its citizens being ravaged by diseases that can be prevented.

    Responding, the Executive Secretary of PHCB assured the Permanent Secretary of the readiness of the board to carry out the directive.

  • Meningitis: Govt directs board to extend vaccination to schools,others

    Meningitis: Govt directs board to extend vaccination to schools,others

    Authorities of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) have directed its agency, Primary Health Care Board (PHCB), to extend the ongoing vaccination against the dreaded disease to schools, officers in its employ and residents of the six area councils in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

    The development is part of proactive measures to forestall the spread of meningitis in the FCT.

    FCT Permanent Secretary, Dr. Babatope Ajakaiye, who gave the directive yesterday in his office during a meeting with the six area councils’ chairmen and other stakeholders, urged officers, schools and residents of the territory to avail themselves of the exercise.

    According to a statement issued by the Press Secretary, Office of the FCT Permanent Secretary, Tony Odey, Ajakaiye charged parents and religious organizations to always make their children and followers available for vaccination, while stressing that the FCT Administration would continue to carry out policies and programmes aimed at enhancing the welfare of the residents of the territory.

    The permanent secretary assured the board of the readiness of the FCT Administration to make financial intervention in the event of shortage of vaccines and other facilities.

    He further remarked that no responsible government would watch the lives of its citizens being ravaged by diseases that can be prevented.

  • Meningitis: UNICEF places Ekiti under surveillance

    The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has placed Ekiti State on surveillance to prevent an outbreak of meningitis, which has killed over 400 persons in some Northern states.

    The international organisation said though there was no reported case of the disease in Ekiti, it added that the organisation is working with experts in the Ministry of Health on the need to be on the alert.