A senior government official reported that 55 people had died as a result of the meningitis outbreak in Kebbi State’s Jega, Gwandu, Aliero, Bunza, and Birnin Kebbi local government areas on Wednesday.
The state government reported 26 deaths from suspected cases of the disease in three local government areas last week. However, on Wednesday, results from the National Reference Laboratory in Abuja verified that some samples sent from the state were indeed meningitis, confirming the outbreak.
Dr. Nuhu Koko, the Permanent Secretary of the State Ministry of Health, broke down the death toll, stating that 25 people had perished in Gwandu, the most affected local government area, 16 in Jega, and 14 in Aliero.
According to the Daily Trust correspondent, because victims were not reporting cases to medical facilities for a proper diagnosis, the deaths were initially attributed to malaria.
However, subsequent reports that the Public Health department received stated that fever, severe headaches, stiff necks, and the accompanying nausea and vertigo were killing people.
Jafaru Abubakar, a relative of two afflicted individuals in Jega, told our correspondent that when the disease first appeared in some local communities, it was thought to be an odd illness that quickly claimed lives.
“We didn’t know it was CSM, but what surprised us is that some of the people who suffered from the disease that looks like fever died suddenly. We also observed that some strange things happened to them before they died. Some had stiff necks while others were vomiting excessively. Like the case of the two people that were affected in our community, they suffered stiffness in their necks,” he said.
As of Wednesday this week, 653 suspected cases of the disease had been reported in five local government councils throughout the state, according to Dr. Koko.
“From the samples sent and confirmation received from the reference Centre we now know we are dealing with cases of meningitis. Seventeen samples were sent to the National Reference Laboratory in Abuja for confirmation out of which five sample results returned negative and five were positive,” he said.
Dr. Koko blamed self-medication for the recorded deaths while updating reporters in Birnin Kebbi on government efforts to combat the illness. According to him, the numbers were documented because the afflicted individuals did not visit the hospital for a proper diagnosis to determine their condition. He claimed that because of the complications it had already caused, some of the victims arrived at the hospital too late.
Saa’du Yahaya, a resident of Aliero, one of the state’s hardest-hit local governments, said his younger sister had CSM but was fortunate to survive since she was brought to the Aliero general hospital in time to receive treatment.
“I think she was lucky to survive it because we took her to the hospital in time. We really didn’t know she was suffering from meningitis but we saw that her sickness was becoming severe and worsening within two days. We had to rush her to the hospital. We were shocked to discover she was infected with meningitis and had to be kept in the isolation Centre. We thank God she has been discharged,” Yahaya said.
According to reports, the illness also claimed the lives of five students at the state’s University of Science and Technology, Aliero, including two who were in their last year.
The university’s overcrowding and inadequate sanitation were blamed by officials for the outbreak. To stop the potentially infected students from spreading the infection to other members of the public, the school’s administration stated that they would not shut it down. Rather, it stated that in order to care for the victims, the school clinic has been transformed into an isolation center.
According to Dr. Koko, the Ministry of Health has started an advocacy tour to state stakeholders and partners like WHO, MSF, and UNICEF in order to conduct a thorough investigation into the outbreak. Additionally, it has begun supplying the impacted local government areas with medications and other goods.
“Also sample collection, training of clinicians across the affected local government areas have begun in partnership with WHO and other non-governmental organizations, in Gwandu, Jega and Aliero,” he said.
According to him, Governor Nasir Idris has also authorized the immediate release of N30 million to support the outbreak intervention efforts, which include vaccination campaigns, public awareness and education campaigns, isolation center setup, surveillance operations, emergency medication procurement, and case management of infected individuals..
He clarified that the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare had sent the state 3,000 doses of CSM vaccines, which had been dispersed throughout the impacted communities in the three local government districts.
While the state is still awaiting seven sample results from the National Reference Center in Abuja, Dr. Koko added that all five of the positive case patients had received treatment and been released.
Since 2015, Kebbi State has seen recurring outbreaks of cerebro-spinal meningitis, including a significant outbreak that affected 16 local government councils. Approximately half of the state’s meningitis cases were reported in the Aliero Local Government Area.
According to Dr. Umar Kangiwa, Chief Consultant on Epidemiology at the Federal Teaching Hospital Birnin Kebbi, the government must take all preventive measures and ensure that the general public is informed about the symptoms and how to stop the disease’s spread in order to lessen the seasonal outbreak. According to him, the government also requires specialists to diagnose and identify any suspected cases.
“Everybody within the chain, nurses, community health workers, health personnel and others should be well equipped on the signs and symptoms of meningitis,” he said.
The chief consultant also maintained that the disease has economic implications as such people should be enlightened on its implications because it can cause blindness, deafness and can affect the pancreas of an infected person. He said when all these are done, the outbreak of meningitis will reduce drastically.
It also warned the public against visiting patients at the isolation centers and avoid self-medication, ensure proper food hygiene, particularly washing of fruits and vegetables before consumption. It enjoined those not affected to present themselves for vaccination at the designated centers.
Meanwhile, the state government has advised members of the public to immediately report to the nearest health facility once a person shows any sign of the disease, avoid sleeping in overcrowded spaces with poor ventilation, maintain proper personal hygiene and maintain proper environmental sanitation.
