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Tag: Zamfara

  • Zamfara meningitis outbreak avoidable, says WHO

    Zamfara meningitis outbreak avoidable, says WHO

    •UNICEF warns against spread to Northeast

    The World Health Organisation (WHO) has blamed the outbreak of meningitis in some parts of Nigeria, particularly Zamfara State, on lack of robust surveillance, saying the Zamfara outbreak was avoidable.
    The United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) has also warned against a spread of the disease to the Northeast, which it said is already suffering malnutrition.
    The development partners spoke yesterday in Kaduna State at an emergency meeting of Northern Traditional Leaders Committee on primary health care delivery and some northern governors on Cerebrospinal Meningitis outbreak.
    According to the Country Representative of WHO, Wondimagegnehu Alemu, Nigeria should invest on outbreak investigation and detection, particularly in rolling out robust surveillance system.
    He said 500 cases of meningitis discovered last year in Zamfara State would have been avoided if there was a robust surveillance system.
    His words: “We really appreciate the timely response of the Federal Government’s team to this outbreak and the opportunity to work with the government.
    “We value the critical role of traditional leaders in promoting health, preventing diseases and encouraging compliance of people affected by the disease. It is often said health is wealth and none of you likes to see or have sick people. It is from that perspective I see committed leaders, officially elected, as well as traditional leaders, standing for their people.
    “I won’t go into the details, but in the past, meningitis type A was the one that ravaged most of these areas. Since you have successfully conducted the preventive vaccination, it has now shifted.
    “The current type C is a new one. It has never been known to cause this magnitude of outbreak; it used to be only sporadic cases. So, that has left us with no option than to rely on few of the tools that we have, including few vaccines that are available at global level, through the strategy contingency plan. The government has applied for, received and judiciously distributed to the affected places, and the vaccination has taken place. More is coming.
    Representative of the Department for International Development (DFID) Salma Kolo blamed the outbreak on weak health system in Northern Nigeria. He called on leaders of the region to increase efforts to fix the health system.
    She said: “The government of United Kingdom is concerned about the outbreak of meningitis in Northern Nigeria, just like it is concerned about maternal and new born mortality.
    “The United Kingdom government had sent its contribution of 800,000 doses of meningitis vaccines through WHO and that has been acknowledged and it is already being utilised.”
    UNICEF hails Army for releasing Boko Haram suspects
    By Oyeyemi Gbenga-Mustapha
    The United Nations International Children Education Fund (UNICEF) has lauded the Army for releasing about 600 suspected Boko Haram insurgents.
    It said the Army’s action was a major step towards protecting children affected by the insurgency.
    A statement by WHO said: “It provides hope in a conflict that continues to have an enormous impact on people’s lives. These children were held under administrative custody, on alleged association with Boko Haram militants. They are victims of the conflict and it is crucial they receive medical care, psychosocial support and other basic services that will help them to regain their dignity.
    “Once that process of recovery has started, we can help them return to their families, school or learn new skills that will give them hope for the future.”
    UNICEF maintained that it will continue to work with relevant authorities to access children who are held for screening in order to safeguard their care and protection.
    “When military screening is needed, children should only be held as a measure of last resort and for the shortest time possible, in accordance with national and international standards. These children are first victims of the conflict and require support to recover from their experiences and reintegrate with their families and communities,” the statement added.

  • NMA urges Zamfara Govt. to change strategies in fighting meningitis

    The Zamfara state chapter of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has called on the state government to change its strategies in fighting Cerebrospinal Meningitis (CSM) outbreak to succeed in arresting the disease.

    The state NMA Chairman, Dr Tijjani Abubakar, made the call on Saturday in Gusau while speaking at the Inter-Secondary School Medical Quiz Competition organised by the association to mark the 2017 World Health Day.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 215 people have lost their lives to the disease while thousands of patients are receiving treatment at various health centres across the state.

    The Chairman noted such change should be seen as a matter of urgency.

    He also said the scourge of Cerebrospinal Meningitis epidemic, ravaging the state was worrisome, adding that it had reached emergency level.

    Abubakar said the committee set up by the state government to fight the outbreak must involve medical personnel to ensure success.

    “Government must review its strategies in fighting the disease by providing more funding to procure enough drugs and vaccines to reduce the menace of the disease in the state,” he said.

    Abubakar, however, called on the members of the committee to be God-fearing in discharging their duties.

    He further urged committee members not to see their assignment as an avenue for enrichment, but one that called for their total commitment toward bringing the disease to a standstill.

    “On behalf of all medical doctors in Zamfara, I wish to extend our heartfelt condolences to all the parents who lost their children and loved ones to the outbreak in the state and country at large.

    ‘’For those that suffered from various degrees of disability, we pray for their speedy recovery.”

    Abubakar also commended all stakeholders for their support and commitments in supporting the state government’s effort toward curtailing the outbreak.

    He appealed to the public to always comply with pieces of medical advice given to them as regards curtailing the disease.

  • FG dismisses Gov. Yari’s views on Meningitis being result of sins

    The Federal Government says the outbreak of ‘Type C’ form of Cerebro-spinal Meningitis (CSM) in some parts of the country has nothing to do with moral or spiritual lifestyles of Nigerians.

    The Minister of State for Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire, stated this after the meeting of the Federal Executive Council, which was presided by President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Gov. Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara was on Tuesday quoted as saying that the outbreak of the Cerebrospinal Meningitis ‘C’ occurred because of fornication and other sins by Nigerians.

    According to Ehanire, “The Federal Government does not have views of that nature‎ and I am not sure the state government can really continue to make that statement.

    “When things happen; yes you can begin to look at many ways for possible causes.

    “But like I said, nature played us an unfortunate stroke; that is not to say we committed sin or anything.

    “It does happen in this World that things occur out of the blues.’’

    The minister noted that there had been a very robust response of the ministry and the affected state governments in collaboration with the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control, Nigeria Primary Health Care Development Agencies, the World Health Organisation, UNICEF; as well as other partners.

    He allayed the fears of Nigerians about the ministry’s response on the outbreak of the virus, adding that already 500,000 doses of vaccines were being distributed to the affected states.

    He further said, “Government is also getting 826,000 units which are being shipped‎ from Europe to us within the next few days.

    “The most affected states have been Zamfara, Sokoto and Katsina and together they have about 85 per cent of the cases. As of today, there have been 2,996 cases in 16 states and 64 local governments.

    “There have been 336 fatalities of which 141 have been confirmed by laboratory tests.

    “There is reactive ‎vaccinations going on already; there is social mobilisation going on, teams are working in the affected states.

    “So in other to allay the fears of Nigerians, we want to make it clear that this is not a sign of failure of the system‎, it is a fact that nature played a very different stroke this time that caught everybody off guard.”

    He announced that two treatment centres were being set up in every local government and lumber puncture kits had also been distributed so that doctors could take samples to laboratories for testing.

  • Meningitis: Defence Ministry offers free vaccination, sensitisation in Zamfara

    The Federal Ministry of Defence is providing free medical outreach for vaccination and awareness in Zamfara to contain the outbreak of meningitis in the state.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event, which flagged off at 1 Base Army Ammunition Depot in Gusau on Tuesday, targeted 500 vulnerable children.

    Speaking at the event, Capt. Bashir Ahmad, the Regiment Medical Officer at the depot, said the outreach was organised by the ministry to support both federal and state government efforts in tackling the outbreak of the disease.

    Ahmad, who is the head of the medical team of the outreach, said that one of the major programmes of the Medical Department of the ministry was to organise medical outreach and sensitisation to the public whenever there was an epidemic.

    “As we know, Zamfara is one of the states affected with recent Cerebro Spinal Meningitis (CSM) outbreak in the country.

    “The Ministry of Defence take these issues seriously, that is why it mobilised us to come and carry out this assignment to save lives of the public from dangers of outbreaks.

    “The ministry has provided 500 doses of the vaccines and each dose per person; therefore, we targeted about 500 persons in this exercise.

    “We are giving emphasis to children because they are more vulnerable to the disease.

    “As you can see, we have so far treated over 150 people this morning, we planned to extend this programme to local government areas depending on how we get additional vaccines from the ministry,’’ he said.

    Ahmad said the sensitisation was taking place simultaneously with treatments and urged the public to ensure effective compliance to advice on safety measures from the medical personnel.

    “People should avoid overcrowding in rooms, they should improve environmental sanitation in their respective homes and personal hygienic conditions,’’ he advised.

    NAN reports that the Secretary to the State Government and Chairman of the state government committee on meningitis, Prof. Abdullahi Shinkafi, had announced that about 215 people lost their lives to the epidemic across the state.

    The outbreak was first recorded in November 2016.

  • Meningitis: Expert calls for effective response strategies

    “The committee should be responsible for reviewing the antibiotic vulnerability of Neisseria meningitis serotypes in the country.

    “Such committee can then use current trend and data on antibiotic resistance to formulate appropriate prophylaxis and treatment by state, zones or the country as a whole,’’ he said.

    NAN reports that there has been an outbreak of Cerebro Spinal Meningitis (CSM) across 16 states of the country since November 2016, of which a new strain of the disease called “stereotype C’’ had emerged.

    As at April 3, there were 2,524 suspected cases with 336 deaths recorded in 90 local government areas in the affected states.

    The states included Zamfara, Katsina, Sokoto, Kebbi, Niger, Nasarawa , Jigawa, FCT, Gombe, Taraba , Yobe, Kano, Osun, Cross Rivers, Lagos and Plateau.

    Meningitis outbreaks peak in the dry season in certain states in the Northern region due to low humidity and dusty conditions and usually end as the rainy season approaches.

    The bacteria that cause it can be spread through exchange of saliva, which can occur during common activities such as kissing, sharing utensils and drinking glasses.

    The risk factors for meningitis also include living in close quarters such as dormitories, sneezing and coughing as well as smoking or being exposed to smoke.

    Also, particular lifestyle such as staying out late or irregular sleeping habits could put people at greater risk for meningitis, by weakening their immune system.

    Some common symptoms include high fever, stiff neck, confusion, sensitivity to light, headaches and vomiting.

    According to the WHO, even when the disease is diagnosed early and adequate treatment begins, five per cent to 10 per cent of patients die, typically within 24 to 48 hours of the onset of symptoms.

    Vaccination against the three types of bacteria that can cause meningitis still remains one of the most effective ways to be protected against certain types of bacterial meningitis, alongside avoiding the risk factors.

     

  • Zamfara people cry out for government help against meningitis

    Nigerians in Gusau, Zamfara state have cried out to the government to help in preventing meningitis, which they said has been killing many people in the state.

    The appeal was made by a cross section of residents interviewed by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

    Earlier this March, the Commissioner of Health in the state, Alhaji Suleiman Gummi said over 80 people had died as a result of the disease while another 500 were undergoing treatment at various health facilities across the 14 Local Government Areas of the state.

    The people interviewed were of the view that the situation has worsened, although they could not cite figures.

    According to  the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control said, about 269 people have been killed in recent weeks by meningitis.

    As of Monday, 1,828 suspected cases of meningitis were reported with 269 deaths in 15 of the country’s 36 states, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) said on Twitter late on Tuesday.

    Mallam Bello Aliyu,  a civil servant said that the rate at which meningitis has been killing both young and adult in Zamfara state was worrisome.

    Aliyu said that his neighbor, a 35-year-old man recently died of meningitis and some of his family members had been infected as well.

    Hajiya Salamatu Isa, a school teacher also complained about how her four year-old daughter died of meningitis, which she said was due to lack of vaccine.

    She said that the disease became rampant in February and that she tried her best to immunize all the members of her family, but due to non-availability of the vaccine, she could not. The inadequacy of vaccines, she said killed several people, including her daughter.

    Dr Oyaromade Abidemi, a consultant obstetrician, Head of Clinical Services, Ahmad Sani, Yerima Bakura specialist hospital, Gusau, said the disease was under control.

    Dr Abidemi said that the state government and Medicin San Frontieres MSF nongovernmental organization donated some drugs to the hospital, for the treatment of patients suffering from meningitis.

    He said that 80 percent of meningitis patients that were taken to the hospital at early stage had been treated and discharged, while those that were seriously affected before being taken to the hospital have 50 percent chances of survival.

    The Doctor however said that the hospital had not gotten any vaccine to give the public to prevent meningitis.

    Some medical personnel from Federal Medical Center Gusau, who pleaded anonymity told NAN that the disease had affected many children and adults to the extent that 80 percent of the patients in the ward were suffering from meningitis.

    NAN also gathered that both the state government and nongovernmental organization had been distributing antibiotics  to hospitals in the state, for the treatment of the affected people, but vaccines are scarce.

    At the two major hospitals in Gusau, Ahmad Sani Yerima Bakura specialist hospital and Federal Medical Center Gusau, there were hundreds of patients suffering from the disease, awaiting treatment.

    Earlier this March, the Commissioner of Health in the state, Alhaji Suleiman Gummi said over 80 people had died as a result of the disease while another 500 were undergoing treatment at various health facilities across the 14 Local Government Areas of the state

  • Bandits surrender arms in Zamfara – Army

    Some repentant cattle rustlers and armed bandits in Maru, Birnin Magaji and Gusau Local Government Areas, Zamfara, have surrendered their arms, following the disarmament drive of the state government.

    Brig.-Gen. Sani Usman, the army spokesman, made this known in a statement on Tuesday in Abuja.

    He said that the dangerous arms surrendered by the bandits are one G3 riffle, 434 dane guns, 69 locally made pistols and eight locally made revolvers.

    According to him, the others are 39 locally made multi-barrel pistols and 36 locally made double barrel rifles.

    Usman said the weapons were handed over to 233 Battalion of 1 Division Nigerian Army, in the presence of some state government officials and representatives of various security agencies in the state.

    He explained that the effort to disarm cattle rustlers and armed bandits spearheaded by the Zamfara government and 1 Division Nigerian Army was yielding fruitful results.

     

  • Ex-Zamfara governor Shinkafi defects to APC

    Ex-Zamfara governor Shinkafi defects to APC

    Alhaji Mamuda Shinkafi, a former Governor of Zamfara on Sunday defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

    Shinkafi, who became the state governor in 2007 on the platform of All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP) and defected to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in 2008.

    He however lost to the APC in 2011 and had since then remained in the opposition.

    Shinkafi announced his decision to join the APC at a ceremony in Gusau, the state capital.

    According to him, it is the outcome of a long negotiation between me and stakeholders who have faith in me and my leadership qualities.

    He told all his supporters to join him as he strived to make the APC stronger.

    Shinkafi said that after series of meetings with stakeholders, he had sincerely made up his mind to join the APC.

    He also announced that all his former cabinet members, including his former Secretary to the State Government, Alhaji Mamman Bawa, had joined him in the APC.

    The return of Shinkafi to the APC might be a grand plan by the stakeholders in the state to re-elect him as governor in the 2019 elections.

    Alhaji Muntari Anka, who served as a deputy governor with Shinkafi, also moved to the APC in Anka Local Government constituency a fortnight ago.

     

  • 300 children die of lead poisoning in Zamfara

    The Emir of Bukkuyum in Zamfara, Alhaji Muhammadu Usman, has said that over 300 children died as a result of lead poisoning at Yar-Galma village of Bukkuyum Local Government Area of the state.

    The emir made the disclosure on Friday at Yar-Galma during the inauguration of a solar-powered borehole, drilled by the Sir Ahmadu Bello Memorial Foundation (SABMF).

    Usman commended the foundation for initiating the project.

    The traditional, who ruler lamented that lead poisoning had adversely affected several communities in the area appealed to government and other NGOs to emulate the foundation.

    The Chairman of the foundation, retired Justice Mamman Nasir, said the project was provided through the foundation’s Health Intervention Programme.

    Nasir further said it was designed to provide safe and potable water free from lead poison and other dissolved metallic contaminants in the community.

    Malam Umar Shuaibu, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN),after the ceremony, that he lost his five year-old daughter to lead poison two years ago.
    Shuaibu said the project would go a long way in saving many lives in the community.

    Lead is a naturally occurring element found in small amounts in the earth’s crust and has some beneficial uses but can also be toxic to humans and animals, thus causing health effects.

    Lead can be found in all parts of environment such as through the air, soil,water and homes while exposure to lead comes from human activities such as the use of fossil fuels, industrial facilities, lead-based paint in homes among others.(NAN)

  • Corps members will not be sent to troubled areas

    Corps members will not be sent to troubled areas

    The Zamfara State Coordinator of the National Youths Service Corps (NYSC), Hajiya Rahmatu Sanda, says NYSC will not send corps members to “troubled areas” in the state.

    Sanda told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Gusau that one of the major concerns of the NYSC was to protect corps members.

    “We don’t send corps members to those areas with security implications. We only send them to those areas where there is no security challenge.

    She commended security agencies in the state for their support and cooperation, particularly in the areas of security coverage.

    Sanda said that In spite of the security challenges in the state, “we have not recorded any problem or casualty to any of our corps members”.

    She urged serving corps members in the state to be security conscious, cooperate with security agencies and report any security situation to them for immediate action.

    Sanda also urged them to always cooperate and respect the culture, values and religion of their respective host communities. (NAN)