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Tag: Minister of Health

  • Nigeria loses N80bn to road accidents annually — FG

    Nigeria loses N80 billion annually due to road accidents, Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole said in Friday.

    Adewole who made this known at a handover ceremony of 31 ambulances donated by the Japanese Government in Abuja, said that Nigeria was among countries with the highest rates of vehicle accidents globally.

    “As a matter of concern, next to Boko Haram Insurgency, road crash is the second highest source of violent death in Nigeria.

    “According to FRSC reports, Nigeria is among the countries with the highest road accident rates in the world, having 5,400 deaths in 12,077 road crashes in 2015 and 18,353 people injured in road crashes between 2009 and 2013.

    “According to WHO report in 2015, one in every four road crash deaths in Africa occur in Nigeria, having a higher death toll than malaria.

    “ Also, Nigeria loses about N80 billion annually to road accidents,’’ he said.

    The minister said the donation of the ambulances was the outcome of a Memorandum of Understanding both parties signed in September 2016.

    He added that the ambulances donated by the Japanese government would support the Federal government’s policy on emergency medical services, developed in 2016 in response to the trend of road accidents.

    Adewole further said that the ambulances were to be distributed to selected tertiary health institutions in each state of the country.

    “This move by the Japanese government has provided the opportunity to strengthen greater collaboration and partnership between our two countries.

    “”This gesture will contribute immensely in supporting the Federal Government’s efforts in strengthening the National Emergency Response Programme of the Federal Ministry of Health.”

    In his address, Japanese Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Sadanobu Kusaoke said health was among the top priorities of Japan’s relations with Nigeria.

    Kusaoke said that the ambulances were part of a series of Japan’s aid project to Nigeria’s health sector.

    “”Through our Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects, the Japanese Embassy, in partnership with local NGOs, has been providing various primarily health care facilities for rural communities.

    “”We have also supplied advanced medical equipment for secondary health centres; another support is scholarship programmes for undergraduate medical students for training in Japan.

    “”These ambulances are the latest example of a series of our aid projects in the health sector. “

    He said the ceremony marked the delivery of the first batch of 31 ambulances in health centres in the country.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the remaining 12 ambulances would be handed over in 2018.

    NAN also reports that the Japanese Government earmarked 400 million Japanese Yuan (approximately 4.1 million dollars) for the project.

    The ambulances would be delivered to 15 teaching hospitals and 13 Federal Medical Centres in the country.

  • HIV: FG introduces new guidelines to curtail spread

    HIV: FG introduces new guidelines to curtail spread

    The Federal Government on Tuesday said it was set to implement new guidelines for  HIV prevention, treatment and care to consolidate previous efforts in tackling the scourge.

    The Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, stated this at the opening of a two-day North-West Zonal Dissemination of 2016 National Guidelines for HIV prevention, Treatment and Care in Kaduna.

    Represented by Mr Segilola Araoye, his Special Adviser, Adewole said the guideline would ensure that those affected by HIV receive free health service at all levels in both public and private health institutions.

    “From this day hence, everyone who tests positive to HIV is automatically eligible for treatment and this applies to everyone with equal emphasis, child, man and women, pregnant or not.

    “From today onward we are duty bound to offer antiretroviral drugs as prevention to all persons who are at high risk of contracting HIV infection.

    “From today forward all persons on treatment are entitled to at least one viral load test per year.

    “From today hence, we will place greater emphasis on differentiated systems of care that are adjustable to the individual needs of the patient,’’ the minister said.

    Adewole noted that the recommendations in the 2016 guidelines by current standard were audacious, unambiguous and unapologetically pro-patient.

    The minister, however, appealed to state governments and other stakeholders to efficiently implement the recommendations of the guidelines to the later in an effort to tackle the menace.

    “For this to happen, we must change course a bit and find the courage to depart from the strategies that have not worked well.

    “The guidelines could not have come at a less opportune moment, as they will serve as the necessary catalyst for attainment of the UNAIDS 90-90-90 initiative.

    “And today, we hopefully bring to end the argument over deeply divisive option B and option B+ saga if our guidelines have been careful, to avoid the terms perhaps, it is time we stopped using them all together,“ the minister said.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) quotes available statistics showing that no fewer than 3.4 million people are currently affected by the HIV and AIDS scourge.

    However, the health minister said, with the 2016 guidelines things would be better, as there were already 860,000 patients on Anti-retro-viral treatment (ART) in some 1000 comprehensive HIV treatment centres.

    According to him, that has led to the decline morbity and mortality associated with HIV and AIDS in the country.

    “I simply cannot accept that our collective hard work against HIV and AIDS in Nigeria is wasted effort.

    “I accept that things can be done better but even at that we have achieved tremendous success in our battle against HIV.

    “And I am strengthened in this belief by the change in public perception from the fear, panic hysteria and horror of 2000 to the calm (Please be careful HIV is still out there) attitude that is the prevailing public sentiment about HIV and AIDS today,’’ he said.

    Adewole said these guidelines would work because they were acceptable to the vast majority of stakeholders.

    “They are acceptable because they are the product of huge and representative stakeholders consensus, with over 170 people contributed to the development of this document.’’

    He commended the various stakeholders for contributing to the development of the document and advised non-governmental organisations supporting the health sector and HIV interventions to work closely with the ministry.

    Adewole while thanking the states governments for their active role the fight against HIV and AIDS, appealed to People PLHIVs to come on board as stakeholders in the effort to eradicate the scourge.

    NAN reports that officials from eight states of Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Sokoto, Kebbi, Niger, Kwara Zamfara and Jigawa are attending the two-day event.

    The event, being organised by the Institute of Human Virology Nigeria (IHVN) and the Management Sciences for Health, is also being attended by and other HIV control implementing partners.

  • Low budgetary allocation affecting NBTS operations – Coordinator

    Low budgetary allocation affecting NBTS operations – Coordinator

    The National Coordinator, National Blood Transfusion Service (NBTS) Dr. Oluwatoyin Smith, has said that low budgetary allocation is affecting its operations.

    Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja on Tuesday in commemoration of the World Blood Donor Day, Smith said that effective funding was required to improve service delivery.

    According to her, cost implication for the procurement of adequate supplies of blood safety consumables for three months amounts to N100,196,500.

    She said this put the cost of one unit of blood at approximately N34,000 largely as a result of high cost of consumables and maintenance of cold chain.

    Smith added that NBTS had sought the approval from the Minister of Health to review the upward Blood Access Fee (BAF) from N2,000 to N5,000 from June 2017.

    “There is need to increase the Blood Access Fee from N2,000 to N5,000  per unit of screened blood particularly in the face of concomitant falling oil price.

    She stressed that the money realised from the BAF were mainly used to purchase consumables used in collecting blood from voluntary donors.

    The Acting Country Director, U.S. Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Nigeria, Dr. Omotayo Bolu, said that the Day was used to raise awareness and dispel myths about blood donation.

    According to her, people should not wait until we have an emergency before donating blood.

    “By donating blood, many lives are saved and hope is given to many whose situation might otherwise be hopeless.

    “It also brings joy to many. You impact not only the patient whose life may depend on your donation, but also all those who depend on that patient,” she said.

  • Osotimehin will be greatly missed – Health Minister

    Osotimehin will be greatly missed – Health Minister

    Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole has described the death of the Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund, Prof. Babatunde Osotimehin as shocking.

    Professor Osotimehin who was once a minister of Health, passed on in the early hours of Monday.

    Born February 6, 1949, the 68-year-old at a time served as Provost of the College of Medicine at the University of Ibadan.

    Osotimehin was appointed the fourth Executive Director of UNFPA in November 2010 and was reappointed in August 2014.

    An accomplished physician, former Provost College of Medicine University of Ibadan and former Director General of the National Agency for Control of AIDS (NACA). Until his death he was the Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund.

    The late Osotimehin, according to the minister will be remembered for his role and global contributions to increased access to Family Planning as well as Sexual and Adolescent Health especially in Low and Middle Income Countries (LMICs).

    “Professor Osotimehin whom I fondly called the ‘Big Boss’ during his lifetime will definitely be missed for his dedication, humility, mentorship and patriotism,” Adewole said.

    While in office as the honorable minister, Prof. Osotimehin was at the forefront of the advocacy for improved reproductive health care in the country.

    The Minister who spoke on behalf of the management and staff of the Federal Ministry of Health condoled with the family, friends, associates and colleagues of the late professor at the United Nations.

  • FEC approves vaccine production with May &Baker Plc

    FEC approves vaccine production with May &Baker Plc

    The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved the signing of a four-year vaccine production agreement between the Federal Government and May &Baker Plc.

    The Minister of Health, Prof. Issac Adewole, who confirmed this development when he briefed State House correspondents after the meeting which was presided over by Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, said the agreement would last from 2017 to 2021.

    Adewole revealed that the federal government would own 49 per cent of the joint venture while May and Becker would own 51 per cent.

    “Between 1940 and1991, Nigeria was not only producing vaccines such as smallpox, yellow fever, and anti-rabies vaccines but we also exported to Cameroon, Central African Republic and a few other countries.
    “In 1991 the Vaccine Production laboratory stopped production ostensibly because government wanted to reactivate and upgrade the facility which did not take place till today.

    “What Council did today was to put life into this joint venture agreement that proposes to establish a company called bio-vaccines Ltd which will be jointly owned by federal government of Nigeria and May and Baker Plc.’’

    According to the minister, the board of the company will comprise seven people, four from May and Baker and three from federal government.

    He said the company would be expected to meet the nation’s basic vaccines requirements in the next four years with a take-off capital of N100 million.

    Adewole added that May and Becker would make an equity contribution N1.3 billion while the federal government would contribute N1.2 billion

    He said: “The company between 2017 and 2021 will produce basic vaccines that we need.

    “We have considered vaccines as a security issue, it is not only health but we need to consider the security of all Nigerians particularly our children.

    “So, with this agreement we will be able to produce those common vaccines and from 2021 and beyond other vaccines that are necessary will also be out in board for administration to Nigerians.

    “We are quite happy that today it has taken place and we believe that Nigeria has started a journey to vaccines security.’’

    The minister announced that his ministry also presented to the Council the report on the outbreak meningitis.

    “We are happy to inform the nation that we are almost at the end of the outbreak.

    “What we are now doing is to now prepare to ensure that this does not repeat itself next year.’’

    Adewole also briefed the council about the unfortunate incident where a body was flown into the country from the Democratic Republic of Congo, by Kenya Airways.

    He said the body was brought into the country without the necessary approval.

    “The standard procedure is that for you to fly in a body into nigeria you need a waiver, a sort of approval to by issues by a federal ministry of health.

    He revealed that his ministry had already notified the international civil aviation authority so that Kenya airways will be formerly sanctioned.

    “But we want to assure Nigerians that the body tested negative to Ebola and any of the hemorrhagic fevers.

    “We know the cause of death but for confidential reasons we do not have to disclose it. But it is nothing really to worry about.

    “So, we are on top of the situation in the way and manner in which we handled the situation.

    “The entire premises were decontamination immediately and the body was taken.’’

    The Minister of Science and Technology, Dr Ogbunnaya Onu, who also briefed the correspondents, said for too long Nigeria had depended on the importation of raw materials and products at the detriment of nation’s economy.

    He noted that Nigeria was a great nation that was enriched with abundant natural resources and “it doesn’t make sense that Nigeria has been importing what it has from outside the country.’’

  • FG, May&Baker to begin production of vaccines in Nigeria

    FG, May&Baker to begin production of vaccines in Nigeria

    The Federal Executive Council (FEC) on Wednesday approved a joint venture agreement between the Federal Government of Nigeria and May & Baker Plc towards producing vaccines in the country from 2017 to 2021.

    The equity participation will be 51 percent from May&Baker and 49 percent from the Federal Government with an initial take off capital of N100 million and equity contributions of N1.3 billion and N1.27 billion.

    The Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole briefed newsmen after the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting.

    According to him, the Federal Government is contributing the Institute of Vaccines Research where the new company will take off as its equity.

    He said that the board of the company will comprise seven people, four from May and Baker and three from the federal Government.

    He said “FEC approved joint venture agreement between the federal government and Baker Plc to produce vaccines from 2017-2021.

    “The federal government is using existing facility at the Federal Vaccine Production Lab, Lagos, as our equity. And that has been costed by Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, is about N1.27 billion and May and Backer will put in about N1.3 billion in keeping with the 51, 49 per cent equity participation.

    “Between 1940-1991, Nigeria was not only producing vaccines such has smallpox, yellow fever, and anti-rabbis vaccines but we also exported to Cameroon, Central African Republic and a few other countries.

    “In 1991 the Vaccine Production Laboratory stopped production ostensibly because the government wanted to reactivate and upgrade the facility which did not take place till today. What council did today was to was put live into this joint venture agreement that proposes to establish a company called bio-vaccines LTD which will be jointly owned by the federal government of Nigeria and May and Becker Plc” the minister said.

    Adewole who briefed alongside the Ministers of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, Science and Technology, Ogbonaya Onu and Niger Delta, Usani Usani, said the partnership will take off this year.

    He explained that the FEC will allow the Attorney General of the Federation to perfect the agreement and “hopefully in the next two weeks we should sign this agreement and once the agreement is signed we are ready to fly”.

    According to him, the agreement was to further secure the lives of Nigerians since the production of vaccines is now considered as a security issue.

    We have considered vaccines as a security issue, it is not only health but we need to consider the security of all Nigerians particularly our children. So, with this agreement, we will be able to produce those command vaccines and from 2021 and beyond every other vaccine that is necessary will also be out on board for administration to Nigerians. We are quite happy that today it has taken place and we believe that Nigeria has started a journey to vaccines security – Adewole.

    The minister said he also briefed the council on the meningitis outbreak adding that the country was almost at the end of it. “What we are now doing is to now prepare to ensure that this does not repeat itself next year” he added.

    Council also received a briefing on the unfortunate incident where a body was flown into the country from the Democratic Republic of Congo, by Kenya Airways.

    According to him, the body was brought in without the necessary approval. “The standard procedure is that for you to fly in a body into Nigeria you need a waiver, a sort of approval issued by a federal ministry of health” and this was not sought.

    He assured Nigerians that the body tested negative for Ebola and any of the hemorrhagic fevers adding

    “We know the cause of death but for confidential reasons, we do not have to disclose it. But it is nothing really to worry about”.

     

  • No Polio case has been reported in over 270 days, says Minister

    No Polio case has been reported in over 270 days, says Minister

    … National Health Act ‘ll guarantee right to minimum health service

    Nigeria will sustain the current momentum in the effort to rid the nation of polio, Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole has said

    The Minister announced that Nigeria is yet to record any new case in over 270 days, since August 21st 2016.

    Adewole, who delivered an address on behalf of Nigeria at the 70th World Health Assembly at the United Nations building in Geneva, explained that the country immediately declared the polio outbreak a national public health emergency.

    He said,   “In curtailing the spread of WPV1 across our borders, there has been a robust international outbreak response and enhanced surveillance activities which include high level coordination with countries of the Lake Chad Region, implementation of high quality rounds and vaccination of high risk populations during in-between rounds activities and re-activation of RI services in newly liberated areas.

    “The Minister acknowledging the Nigerian Military, noted,  “through innovative collaboration with the Military, we gained access to fragile secured territories.”

    The Minister also assured that the current momentum will be sustained for as long as it takes to be certified polio free and beyond.

    Adewole, in his remarks also discussed Nigeria’s progress towards achieving Universal Health Coverage; he said that the agenda would be driven by the one Primary Healthcare Center (PHC) per ward programme of the Muhammadu Buhari administration. To this end, he said that the country had begun the operationalization of the National Health Act which specifies that “all Nigerians shall be entitled to a Basic Minimum Package of Health Services.”

    The Minister also discussed the country’s Anti-Microbial Resistance (AMR) efforts, Accelerated TB Case Finding and ongoing Humanitarian response in the Northeast of Nigeria.

    Professor Adewole appreciated the outgoing WHO President, Dr. Margaret Chan for her support for Africa in troubled times.

    The outgoing president, Dr. Chan, thanked the health ministers and international partners for their support during her tenure. She charged them to continue to put the people first.

    “Behind every number is a person who defines our common humanity and deserves our compassion, especially when suffering or premature death can be prevented,” she said.

  • Nigeria ranked 7th among countries facing shortage of health workers

    Nigeria ranked 7th among countries facing shortage of health workers

    Nigeria is ranked 7th among 57 countries classified as facing a critical shortage of health workers, it was learnt Tuesday.

    According to the Minister of Health, Prof Isaac Adewole the country has a shortage of 144,000 health workers.  Nigeria is ranked second in Africa behind Ethiopia with 152,000.

    Presently, the country boasts of 240,000 nurses and midwives and by 2030 the country will be needing 149,852 doctors and 471,353 nurses and midwives.

    He spoke yesterday in Abuja at the occasion marking the International Day of the Midwife 2017, with the theme, “strengthening midwifery preservice training in Nigeria “midwives, mothers and families: partners for life”

    The minister said only 99,120 doctors and 333,494 nurses and midwives will be available by 2030.

    He therefore warned that the shortfall will make the co try health system vulnerable if there is no urgent and concrete plan to address the situation.

    This the minister also linked to the high rate of maternal and child mortality in the country.

    The minister also decried the distribution of health workers in the country, which according to him was skewed in favour of urban areas, with more than 50 per cent of the health workers.

    He however assured Nigerians that the Midwives Service Scheme launched in 2009 will be modified to make it more effective, while at the same time ensure regular review of the curriculum of school of midwifery in the country.

    He said, “human resources for health issues in Nigeria contribute to poor population health in the country, alongside threats from terrorism, infectious disease outbreaks, and political corruption.

    Health inequities within Nigeria mirror the geographical disparities in human resources for health distribution and are worsened by the emigration of Nigerian nurses to developed countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom. Nigerian nurses are motivated to emigrate to work in healthier work environments, improve their economic prospects, and advance their careers.

    “In 2006 the World Health Organization’s World Health Report defined 57 countries facing a critical shortage of health workers—those with fewer than 2.3 doctors, nurses, and midwives per 1,000 population. Against that ratio, Nigeria reported a shortage of nearly 40,000 health workers. The new data may indicate that Nigeria’s shortage is closer to 144,000—over three times the amount reported in 2006. This would be the seventh highest shortage of the 57 crisis countries. In Africa, only Ethiopia reported a higher shortage of 152,000 health workers.

    “Until recently, records from the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria indicated that there were around 240,000 qualified nurses and midwives within the country. Additionally, given limitations in available workforce data within the country, the council’s data on active registration remain the most reliable proxy for determining the combined number of qualified and available nurses and midwives in Nigeria, across both the public and private sectors.

    “According to a projection estimates from scientific modelling by Adebayo et al in 2016, Nigeria will need approximately 149,852 doctors and 471,353 nurses by the year 2030. With the available growth rate of Doctors/Nurses, by this same period only 99,120 doctors and 333,494 nurses will be available. This implies a shortage of about 50,120 doctors and 137,859 nurses. This translates to 33.45% gap in doctors’ supply and 29.25% gap in nurses’ supply. This shortfall will make the country health system vulnerable if there is no urgent and concrete plan to address the situation.

    “Apart from the shortage, health workers are poorly distributed and in favour of urban, southern, tertiary health care services delivery, and curative care. For some cadres of health workers more than 50% work in the South Western part of the country with the majority living in the commercial city of Lagos. Efforts have been made to make health workers available in the rural areas. About 60% of the states in Nigeria, provide rural incentives to health workers that volunteer to serve in the rural areas, while others make rural service a condition for some critical promotion. There is the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) that is mandatory for all new university and polytechnic graduates in Nigeria. The introduction of national service for freshly graduated midwives will address some of the shortages of human resource in the country.”
    Wife of the President of the Senate, Mrs. Toyin Saraki in her goodwill message said the I pittance of primary healthcare cannot be over emphasized.

    She said, “We cannot over emphasise the importance of Primary health care in the delivery of cost effective and high impact health outcomes for our mothers and their babies, including strengthening health and health-related systems. We know that an efficient and effective PHC systems is one that can cater to between 70-80% of the healthcare and health service needs of people, and as close to the people’s living and working locations. The move to ensure the revitalization and full functionality of PHCs across Nigeria, will also help cater to the professional needs of midwives especially in regions where mothers have been unable to access quality health care due to distance or an absence of skilled health workers.”

  • Meningitis: Minister calls for proactive measures

    Meningitis: Minister calls for proactive measures

    Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole has challenged heads of federal government tertiary hospitals in the country on the need to be proactive in responding to outbreak of diseases.

    Besides, the minister urged all the federal government tertiary hospitals to adopt secondary and primary health facilities, supervise it and make sure they work well.

    Prof. Adewole made the call while meeting with the heads of the federal government tertiary health Institutions in Abuja following the outbreak of meningitis which has claimed over 700 lives since November 2016.

    He said the meeting was convened to chart a way forward in case of any disease outbreak in the country.

    Adewole said: “I should start with global health security, as we might be aware, we have been dealing with series of outbreaks over the last one year. We started with Lassa, we moved on to cholera, there were pockets of measles and now we are dealing with meningitis”.

    “The outbreak of meningitis in Zamfara actually started late November 2016, but we did not know till February which was unfortunate, if we got to know early, we would have deployed the vaccines available to us, create awareness and take charge of the situation early enough, but since we did not know, we lost valuable time to respond to the outbreak”. He stressed.

    Speaking further on the strategies of the federal hospitals to support the primary and secondary health care centres in the States, the Minister urged all the federal government tertiary hospitals to adopt secondary and primary health facilities, supervise it and make sure they work well.

    The Minister said that during emergency, medical personnel in the federal hospitals must support the state, primary and general hospitals.

    In his words: “We cannot pretend that what is happening outside our tertiary health centres do not concern us, and this is one reason why we must interact with primary and secondary health facilities in the state, otherwise we would spend valuable time treating diarrhea and vomiting instead of looking after the complex cases that we ought to do”.

    The Minister also urged the general public to notify the Federal Ministry of Health on any outbreak to enable the ministry deploy response team immediately to checkmate the spread of the diseases.

    In his remarks, the National Coordinator, Nigeria Centre for Diseases Control (NCDC), Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu said that the Centre had already dispatched response team and presently working with the state governments in the affected areas of Sokoto and Zamfara. He added that the team is working on early detection and treatment.

    He urged the Chief Executives of the tertiary hospitals to work closely with the leadership of the state governments in managing the outbreak.

    Ihekweazu added that the agency was working hard to prevent the outbreak of cholera as the raining season has begun in some parts of the country.

  • Meningitis: $1bn needed to vaccinate 21m persons – Minister 

    Meningitis: $1bn needed to vaccinate 21m persons – Minister 

    Northern Traditional Leaders and Governors on Tuesday moved to tame the outbreak of Cerebrospinal Meningitis outbreak in some parts of the region, as they held an emergency meeting on the scourge in Kaduna.

    Meanwhile, Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole who spoke at the occasion said, one billion dollars is required to vaccinate 21m people in five meningitis endemic states.

    It was also disclosed at the occasion that, the outbreak had killed 489 persons in Sokoto, Zamfara, Kabbi, Niger and Katsina State, while 4,637 suspected cases have been recorded.

    According to the Minister, “Meningitis vaccination is very expensive, to effectively stop meningitis in Nigeria; we need to vaccinate 21 million people in the five states which will cost about $1 billion. We need Immunity Trust Fund to cater for immunisation, we need to put more money in health to build robust health system that is resilient. Nigeria would need to put more money on vaccine, Nigerian vaccine has been subsidised by Gavi, but in 2015 we said we are the largest economy in Africa, which means we can stand on our own. So by 20 25 Nigeria will need to fund its vaccines by itself.

    “The state governments also need to put in more money on health. We want the state governments to support us to revitalise the PHC for every political ward to have at least one PHC. We need to put people there, community health extension workers, and to invest in routine immunisation.

    “About seven million births are recorded annually; if we vaccinate all of them we would protect them from meningitis and other diseases.

    “North west is our emergency zone. We need to declare public health emergency in North West, where we have robust health system, meningitis will not be a problem. Surveillance aspect, early warning system is very important call us on time. We need to look at local production of vaccines to take charge of our destiny,” he said.

    Making presentation on meningitis, the National Coordinator of Nigeria Center for Disease Control, Dr. Chikwe Ihekweazu said the outbreak of meningitis started in Zamfara state in November 2016 but they were only notified on February 7, 2017 and they deployed along with other stakeholders a week later.

    “489 deaths have been recorded in Sokoto, Zamfara, Kabbi, Niger and Katsina State. And 4,637 suspected cases of meningitis have also been recorded”, said Dr. Ihekweazu.

    Speaking earlier, Sokoto State governor, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal described the meningitis as a dangerous epidemic, saying that his state had recorded over 1000 cases so far.

    According to him, “In Sokoto state, we had cases in about seven local governments. We had over 1000 cases reported and the state government had to mobilised with traditional leaders in the state and other stakeholders, particularly our development partners.

    “We had collaboration with the federal ministry of health, we received over 20,000 vaccines from the federal ministry of health and we are expecting about 800,000 more vaccines, our target is to have 2 million vaccines for vaccinations to cover most of the areas.

    “We have mobilised a team led by the commissioner of health. We have had challenges of drugs and challenges of health personnel as well”, he said.

    Also, Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai said that it was a matter of great sadness for governors to see the number of deaths recorded in their states due to meningitis.

    He lamented that, the North West zone has been battling meningitis epidemic for the past two months, saying it is a type of meningitis that health care professionals in their states were not conversant with the type C meningitis.

    “The action so far taken by the federal government has slowed down the spread. Here in Kaduna state, we have 17 suspected cases across the 11 local governments with one type C case and one death.

    “We have instituted measures, alongside the measures instituted by neighbouring states and with the proactive steps we have taken, we hope the epidemic will not occur in Kaduna state.

    “We have intensified surveillance and engaged in mass media enlightenment, while mobilising appropriate medicines and medical supplies in our hospitals across the state.

    “Your royal highnesses, I hope at the end of this meeting, you will take this battle with the same zeal you took in the polio eradication. This meeting is timely and hopefully we will come up with strategies to combat this epidemic,” said El-Rufai.

    The Convener of the meeting and Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, who was represented by the Emir or Zazzau, Alhaji Shehu Idris, said the meeting was timely and commendable. “Traditional leaders in coordination with stakeholders will do everything possible to assist in ensuring appropriate medical asistance promptly to avoid future outbreak of meningitis in the North.”