Cerebral Meningitis Kills 37

The Federal Ministry of Health, yesterday, said it had recorded over 300 cases of Cerebral Meningitis (CSM) and 37 deaths in the last two months.
Director of Public Health, Dr Michael Anibueze, told newsmen that 18 states were affected.
“We have 26 CSM high-risk states in the country and all the 18 affected states are under the Meningitis Belt,’’ he said.
Anibueze said that states in the North-West, North- East and North-Central formed part of the 26 high-risk states in the country and were most prone to CSM.
He said the ministry in collaboration with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency had commenced the logistics for the deployment of CSM vaccines to the affected states.
Anibueze said “ the number of cases recorded now is fairly low, compared with what was recorded same period in 2009. But remember that this is just the beginning of the season.’’
He said the ministry did not view this year’s outbreak as massive compared to last year, adding that the Epidemiology Unit has sent its team to the affected states for investigation and assessment.
“The minister has written a letter to the states, as well as the Federal Capital Territory, asking them to get ready for this season. I also wrote to all the commissioners of health in the states requesting them to be on the alert,’’ he said.
He said the ministry had trained epidemiologists and laboratory scientists from all the states in readness for any eventualities.
“Currently, we have drugs and we have asked the states to pick up these drugs from our stores, which we call Strategic Stores,’’ he said.
He lamented that out of the 18 states that reported cases of CSM only three had come forward to collect the drugs.
“You see, sometimes it is not our fault. I don’t understand why it is impossible for some states to come and collect things that would save the lives of their people.
“We are planning to send the drugs to them because if we don’t, it would get worse,’’ he said.
Anibueze said the federal government would keep holding its advocacy programmes in the states and local government areas to ensure that they play a major role at the primary and secondary health care level to prevent and control the disease.
He also revealed to newsmen that the outbreak had also spread to Oyo North, Ebonyi and Cross- River states.