George Oji in Kaduna, Sufuyan Ojeifo, Dayo Thomas in Abuja and Segun Awofadeji
5 March 2009
Bauchi — After an initial denial, the Federal Government has finally confirmed the outbreak of two deadly diseases, Lassa fever and Meningitis, in the country.
Health Minister Babatunde Osotimehin who made the confirmation at an interactive session with newsmen in Abuja yesterday said 5,323 cerebrospinal meningitis (CSM) cases had been reported in various parts of the country with 333 deaths in 22 states.
He also said Lassa fever had recorded 12 cases with five deaths within two weeks.
He said: "Much more worrisome is the danger that the outbreak poses to health workers. Four health staff working in the National Hospital, Abuja who were taking care of one of the Lassa fever cases have also fallen ill and the laboratory investigations have confirmed they are infected with Lassa fever.
"Within the last two weeks, we have recorded 13 cases with 6 deaths (CFR of 42%). 4 Health staff working in the National Hospital, Abuja who was taking care of one of the Lassa fever cases have also fallen ill and laboratory investigations have confirmed they are infected with the Lassa virus."
The minister has therefore directed that Ribavirin, the specific antiviral drug for Lassa fever, be given to Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Health Depart-ment and health facilities in FCT and its environ for prompt and adequate treatment of cases and contact.
He also advised that people should prevent having contact with rats by rutting food in rat proof containers, keeping their homes clean to discourage rats from entering and setting traps in and around homes to help reduce rat population among others.
"The Federal Ministry of Health is striving to create awareness and give appropriate information to prevent the spread of the incidence. The ministry wants the general public and parents in particular to know the symptoms," he said.
Meanwhile, no fewer than 51 persons have been confirmed dead in Bauchi State following an outbreak of CSM out of the 703 cases so far recorded in 19 out of the 20 local government areas of the state.
The Commissioner for Health in the state, Alhaji Aminu Hammayo, who disclosed this to newsmen yesterday at a press briefing, said the worst cases were recorded in Dambam and Katagum local government areas, which share border with Yobe and Jigawa States.
Hammayo said while Dambam recorded a total of 223 cases, Katagum reported 204 cases, which represented 65 per cent of the total cases recorded in the state. Tafawa Balewa Local Government area has recorded none.
According to the commissioner, laboratory analysis indicated that the state had the type A and C cases with no traces of type W, which is the most deadly.
The commissioner who was accompanied during the briefing by the Director, Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Musa Dambam, and the Director, Public Health, Aminu Abubakar, said the state government had procured vaccines to cover treatment for all the types including type W.
He said the state had acquired 3,000 doses of oily chlorophenicol while the Federal Government and UNICEF supplied 700 and 500 doses respectively for the treatment of affected persons. This in addition to 5, 000 doses being ordered by the state government.
Hammayo said the Federal Government had supplied the state with a total of 332, 000 vaccines, while the state government placed order for 300, 000 vaccines for preventive measures.
An outbreak of CSM in 10 local government areas of Kaduna State has claimed about 20 lives even as the state government confirmed the death of 19 persons.
The state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Everton Yari Peters, who revealed this told the Emir of Zazzau, Dr. Shehu Idris , that a team of medical personnel had been mobilised with necessary vaccines to ensure the eradication of the CSM.
Also yesterday, the Senate urged the Federal, State and Local Governments to set machinery in motion to check the spread of Lassa fever.
This was consequent upon a motion sponsored by Senator Abubakar Sodangi (PDP, Nasarawa West) and 10 other senators.
Sodangi called attention of the Senate to the loss of lives which resulted from the outbreak of the disease in the FCT, Nasarawa and other states of the federation.
He said: "Ten persons have been confirmed dead from the disease by health officers and over 300 infected victims are being treated in various wards in government and private hospitals."
Sodangi said Lassa fever was a dangerous communicable disease, pointing out that the official figure of those who had died from the disease was likely to be underestimated.
He explained that this was because many Nigerians don't go to hospitals for medical attention due to economic difficulties.
Sodangi said great attention was being focused on HIV/AIDS, at the expense of other killer diseases such as Lassa fever, malaria, meningitis, and measles.
According to him, "Nigerian health sector is in distress and finds it extremely difficult to deliver a minimum package of quality primary health care, including routine health treatments.
"The government agencies in charge of our health sectors at all levels must live up to their responsibilities especially at the local and municipal levels to lodge a campaign of awareness and preventive measures."
In his contribution to the motion, Chief Whip, Senator Kanti Bello (PDP, Katsina North), said: "It is the duty of the government to make sure that our people are healthy. We need to look critically at our health policy generally."
Deputy Chief Whip, Senator Mohammed Mana (Adamawa North), said the nation should consider a return to the era of sanitary health inspectors.
Chairman of the Senate Committee on Power, Senator Nicholas Ugbane, called for rigorous preventive measure to check the spread of the epidemic.
Deputy Minority Leader, Senator Olorunnimbe Mamora (AC, Lagos East), who is a medical doctor, faulted Ugbane's submission, saying Lassa fever was not caused by rat consumption, but a virus carried by rats, stressing, "We need to focus more on public health and the environment."
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