From: Ahmed Abubakar, Dutse
One person have reportedly died while four others infected with Cerebro Spinal Meningitis (CSM), in Jigawa State.
The Jigawa State Commissioner of Health, Dr. Abba Zakari, who spoke through his Permanent Secretary Dr. Muhammad A. Kainuwa, made this known to newsmen, in Dutse, the state capital.
He explained that as of Friday, five cases of meningitis was reported to the ministry from four different local government in the state.
The Commissioner maintained that, symptom of the diseases was discovered affected one person in Kiri-Kasamma, one in Kiyawa, one in Maigatari while in Gwaram local government area another one inffected with 13 years old boy who lost his life as a result.
He revealed that the infected four person have already treated by the healthworkers and they are now getting better.
The commissioner further revealed that, since last week when the cases of the deseases reported from nighbouring states, the Jigawa state Governor Alhaji Muhammad Abubakar Badaru called an emergency meeting with all stakeholders and designed precaution measure against the outbreak of the deseases in the state.
According to him, the public health educators, social mobilisers and health personnel have embarked on community based education campaign on meningitis.
Dr. Abba said that, they were also enlightened about the prevention and management as well as positive behavioural change to prevent spread of infection through media.
“We also immediately created vaccination post at the some areas to vaccinate the populace with CSM Vaccine manned by trained health personnel” he said.
He advised residents to take precautions against the outbreak of the disease and make sure that they do not sleep in a crowded room.
Dr Abba however noted that bacterial meningitis was one of the most feared infectious diseases of children and its epidemic could have a devastating impact on the entire populace.