By Haruna Aliyu
Birnin Kebbi —Kebbi State Government, yestersday, confirmed that out of 17 samples sent to National Laboratory Reference Centre, Abuja, five samples have returned positive, which is the confirmation of meningitis outbreak in Kebbi.
Speaking in Birnin Kebbi, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Kebbi State, Dr. Shehu Koko said at least 56 persons hava died across Kebbi State since the outbreak of meningitis.
Koko led by the World Health Organisation, UNICEF, Medicines San Frontiers MSF and other healthcare development partners in Kebbi have activated rapid response mechanism to tame the spread of the disease, part of which include donation of vaccines from the Federal Government, drugs from healthcare partners, opening of isolation centers in the affected local governments supported by WHO, UNICEF and MSF all in efforts to contain it within short time.
“We have opened isolation centers, equipped general hospitals in the affected towns with vaccines and treatment drugs.”
He explained that, Kebbi State government under the leadership of Governor Nasir Idris, in swift response to the outbreak released the sum ofN30million for drugs procurement, surveillance and payment of allowances to health practitioners at treatment isolation centres.
He warned relatives of patients to keep off the centres to avoid contacting the disease “Regrettably the death toll has risen from 26 earlier to now 56, if not for quick intervention of state government and our partners, the figures would have been more than this.”
Koko noted that 653 suspected cases of meningitis were recorded in the state while 17 samples were sent for confirmation, five returned negative, another five returned positive which caused the outbreak in the four local government areas of the state.
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