Enyioha Opara, Minna NO fewer than16 people have lost their lives from the outbreak of Cerebrospinal Meningitis in Niger State. The state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Mustapha Jibril, made this known in Minna, Niger State capital. Confirming the deaths from the outbreak to journalists in Minna, the commissioner said that 31 cases had been recorded […]
Enyioha Opara, Minna
NO fewer than16 people have lost their lives from the outbreak of Cerebrospinal Meningitis in Niger State.
The state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Mustapha Jibril, made this known in Minna, Niger State capital.
Confirming the deaths from the outbreak to journalists in Minna, the commissioner said that 31 cases had been recorded in four local government areas which include Magama, Rijau, Kontagora and Agwara.
Jibril said that the deaths were recorded in two villages in Magama Local Government Area as a result of refusal of the affected patients to go to health facilities.
“We have had 23 CSM cases from Magama, four from Rijau, three from Kontagora and one from Agwara. The 16 deaths were recorded in Magama Local Government Area. The deaths involved seven males and nine females.”
He added that 384 suspected CSM cases with eight laboratory confirmations and 49 deaths had been recorded so far in 21 states in the country.
Jibril said that the first case of death of CSM in Niger State was discovered on March 6 by the District Surveillance and Notification Officer in Magama, lamenting that the ministry had problems in persuading the people in the local government to access health care as their belief in orthodox treatment was high.
He added that contrary to belief of the villagers that the sickness was caused by witchcraft, the disease was actually caused by a ‘Type C’ bacteria.
The commissioner said that case tracing was ongoing and antibiotics were being given to people in the four local government areas, urging anyone sick to go to the nearest hospital for treatment.
“Response has been activated as the state is working with the World Health Organisation, the state is also prepositioning drugs at Magama Local Government Area and case management is ongoing.”
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