THE Federal Government has announced that 500,000 doses of Meningitis C vaccines have been distributed to some of the states affected by the outbreak for vaccination.
Two thousand, nine hundred and ninety seven suspected cases of CSM have been reported in 16 states, of which 146 have been laboratory-confirmed. About 336 deaths have also been recorded.
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) said additional 823,970 doses of Meningitis C vaccines are expected from the United Kingdom (UK) to support vaccination activities in other affected states.
NCDC is collaborating with the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency and other partners to tackle the outbreak.
They have set up an Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) to manage the outbreak.
It brings national response into an Incidence Management System to ensure that all activities across the country will be managed using a clear command and control structure led by an Incident manager, who reports through the chief executive officer of the NCDC to the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole.
With this new coordinating structure, it is expected that the country will have a tight, multi-partner team of experts pulled from the most competent agencies focusing on outbreak control.
The Head of Emergency Preparedness and Response at the NCDC, Dr. John Oladejo, will act as Incident manager of the response, while experts from the Federal Ministry of Health, NCDC, NPHCDA, World Health Organisation (WHO), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Africa Centre for Disease Control (CDC), U.S. CDC, Medecins Sans Frontieres, AFENET, University of Maryland and E-Health Africa take important roles in different units.
They will focus on five important components of the outbreak response.
But the Senate yesterday asked the Federal Ministry of Health and the NCDC to make meningitis vaccinations free in public healthcare institutions.
It was one of its resolutions following the adoption of a motion, entitled: “Outbreak of meningitis and the urgent need to curb its spread and stop further deaths”, sponsored by Senator Gbenga Ashafa (Lagos East) and 16 other senators.
The lawmakers noted with serious concern the outbreak of the Cerebrospinal Meningitis in five states.
They underscored the need for an increase in the budget of the Federal Ministry of Health to ensure the ministry and its parastatals could fund healthcare-related activities.
The Senate insisted that meningitis vaccinations should be made free across the country, citing the need for agencies of the Federal Government to continue to collaborate with the WHO and UNICEF to make the scarce inoculations against meningitis readily available.
Senate President, Abubakar Bukola Saraki, noted that with Lassa fever, Cholera and Meningitis outbreak in parts of the country, there was need for increased coordination and funding for regular and specialised healthcare in the 2017 budget.
He assured Nigerians that the Senate will promptly pass any supplemental appropriation request to combat disease outbreaks.
Ashafa, in his lead debate, said the NCDC confirmed the outbreak of CSM in five states with 282 deaths.
The Ondo State has put in place proactive measures to prevent its outbreak in the state.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr. Oni Taiye, who said 2,528 cases and 328 deaths have been reported across 16 states of the federation, said the state emergency, preparedness and response team are toswung into action to forestall the outbreak in the state.

Zamfara State Governor Abdulaziz Yari yesterday said the outbreak of Type C Cerebrospinal Meningitis is God’s way of showing his anger on Nigerians for turning their back on him.
He spoke while speaking with State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa, Abuja after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari.
Zamfara has been the worst hit state since the outbreak of the disease, with over 200 persons dead and several others receiving treatment at various hospitals and clinics.
Medical doctors, under the aegis of Nigeria Medical Association, Zamfara State chapter, last weekend accused the state government of failing to prepare for the outbreak of the disease despite warnings.
Speaking in Hausa language yesterday, Yari said the outbreak might not be unconnected with the people’s total disregard to God’s commandments.
He said: “What we used to know as far as meningitis is concerned is the type A virus. The World Health Organisation (WHO) has carried out vaccinations against this type A virus not just in Zamfara, but many other states.
“However, because people refused to stop their nefarious activities, God now decided to send Type C virus, which has no vaccination.
“People have turned away from God and he has promised that ‘if you do anyhow, you see anyhow’ that is just the cause of this outbreak as far as I am concern.
“There is no way fornication will be so rampant and God will not send a disease that cannot be cured,” he said.
He disagreed with the insinuations that his government failed to act accordingly.

The Nation

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