Honourable Commissioner
Ministry of Health
The Honourable Commissioner of Health, Dr. Fatima Atiku Abubakar has assured the state citizenry that the State Ministry of Health under her purview would nip the current sporadic outbreak of meningitis in two local government areas of the state.
Dr. Fatima made this assertive conviction about the capability of the State government after her ministry issued public advisory warning to the state citizens after two cases associated with Meningitis have been recorded in Song and Yola South Local Government Areas. Speaking extensively on efforts employed and deployed so far to curtail the further spread of the epidemic.
“we have started working with all the affected LGAs and our partners on specific areas of collaboration to heighten massive awareness and sensitization, laboratory investigation and analysis, proper documentation and disease surveillance techniques through WHO and State Primary Health Care Development Agency (SPHCDA) who have been of tremendous support since the outbreak. We are in constant discussion with Federal Ministry of Health, World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, and other donor agencies for supplies of vaccines and injections”. She added
Through our partnership, we have secured some doses of antibiotics to four General Hospitals and specialist hospital for early treatment of cases as part of practical and medically certified containment measures to stem and control the outbreak.
We are equally advocating for prompt referrals and diagnosis for any suspected cases and have issued directive to all general and cottage hospitals, private medical facilities and PHCs to treat all cases of meningitis free of charge.
All State citizens especially residents of Song and Yola South Local Government are advised to seek early attention when discomforted with symptoms of Cerebro Spinal Meningitis (CSM) and avoid clogging together in unventilated rooms and over-crowded areas.
BY Abubakar Mohammed
Information Officer
SPHCDA / MOH