Scores have died and many are in hospitals following outbreaks of measles and meningitis in 10 northern states in the last three months, according to investigation by theNews Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
A wave of measles and Cerebro-Spinal Meningitis (CSM) is sweeping through some states in the North.
According to figures from a survey conducted by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the diseases have killed no fewer than 410 people and led to the hospitalisation of at least 6,254 .
The survey revealed that states hit include Kaduna, Gombe, Kano, Yobe, Adamawa, Kebbi, Zamfara, Katsina, Sokoto and Bauchi where nine children have died as a result of measles.
The Director, Bauchi State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr Musa Dambam, said the children died as a result of the outbreak of measles in 10 local government areas of the state between January and March this year.
He said more than 500 children who were infected were treated in health institutions across the state.
“The state government has provided about 219,000 doses of measles vaccines for immunisation targeted at children between the age of six months and two years,�� he said.
In Kaduna State, an outbreak of measles has been recorded in seven local government areas, according to the Chairman of the state�s Action Committee on Immunisation, Alhaji Mustapha Jumare.
Areas affected include Zaria, Igabi, Giwa, Ikara, Kubau, Birnin-Gwari and Kaduna South.
Jumare attributed the outbreak of the disease to insufficient vaccines and the attitude of some parents toward immunisation .
“Only 16 cases of the disease and two deaths were recorded in Zaria Local Government Area between May last year and March this year,” he said.
However, the situation is different in Kano State, which recorded low level of meningitis and measles, in spite of the hot temperature between January and March.
The state�s Epidemiologist, Dr Mahmoud Nasir, said the Epidemiology Department had recorded 57 cases of meningitis across the state, with only two deaths due to delayed diagnosis of the patients.
The records also showed that 91 measles cases were recorded in the state, with no death during the last quarter as the state had been on the alert to control any outbreak “in spite of the shortage of drugs and vaccines.��
He urged the people to protect themselves from epidemics by creating ventilation in their environments, adding that people should be watchful of their neighbouring environment “because meningitis is an air-borne disease.��
In Gombe, 49 cases of measles and 21 suspected cases of CSM were recorded, the Director of Disease Control in the Ministry of Health, Malam Mohammed Umar, said.
He said no death was recorded, while immunisation was carried out for measles, the ministry was expecting vaccines for CSM from the Federal Ministry of Health.
In Adamawa State, 14 cases of CSM and one death were recorded between January and March, the state�s Director of Disease Control, Dr Chidama Barka, said.
In Yobe, 2,482 cases of measles were recorded, with 190 deaths between Janauary and March this year.
A document from the state�s Epidemiology Unit revealed that the highest incident was recorded in Bade, Nguru and Potiskum local government areas.
The Yobe Commissioner for Health, Alhaji Umar Kaigama, said 40 cases of CSM were recorded during the period. Thirty one cases were treated but nine persons died.
In Kebbi, the Ministry of Health has recalled all health workers at Sir Yahaya Hospital, Birnin Kebbi, on annual leave, to combat the outbreak of CSM in the state.
The Commissioner for Health, Alhaji Abubakar Dakingari, announced the recall while conducting the state�s Deputy Governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Aliyu, on an inspection of CSM wards in the hospital, where more than 50 patients were being treated.
In Katsina State, the state�s Disease Control Unit recorded 3,064 cases of measles and 165 deaths in the last three months, the unit�s Director, Dr Halliru Idris, said.
The worst hit local government are Katsina, Zango, and Malumfashi and Funtua, where 1,267 cases of measles were recorded.
Idris, who said the number of deaths was only for those who died at hospitals, added that many cases of the disease were not reported to health authorities and attributed the deaths to the failure of many parents to immunise their children.
In Zamfara, the Director of Public Health Services and Disease Control in the Ministry of Health, Dr Ahmed Keku, said a rapid response medical team had been despatched to Gyalenge Village in Gummi Local Government Area following an outbreak of cases suspected to be meningitis.
“Already, the situation has been brought under control. The team was given 2,000 doses of CSM vaccines in addition to 70
doses of oily chlorophenicle for curative treatment��.
In Sokoto State, measles and meningitis claimed 43 lives, with 22 of the deaths recorded in four local government areas of the state in the last one week.
In Bodinga Local Government, an outbreak of CSM claimed 10 lives, including a lady corps member, the late Miss EyoghojeCathrine who hailed from Edo State.
The epidemic which was first reported in Sifawa, also affected Bodinga and Tuka-Tuku towns and it affected more than 40 residents.
The Secretary of Bodinga Local
Government, Alhaji Manuga Usman, said the local government council had bought drugs worth about N1.2 million to contain the pandemic.
He added that the state government and a non governmental organisation, Doctors Without Borders, had donated 5,000 doses of
CSM vaccines and antibiotics, pain relievers and intravenous infusions respectively.