Zamfara meningitis outbreak was avoidable – WHO

…..as UNICEF warns against spread to North-East

The World Health Organization (WHO) has blamed the outbreak of meningitis in some parts of Nigeria, particularly Zamfara State on lack of robust surveillance, saying the Zamfara outbreak was avoidable.

This was also as the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) warned against spread of the meningitis outbreak to the North Eastern part of Nigeria, which it said is already suffering from malnutrition.

The development partners spoke in Kaduna on Tuesday at the Emergency Meeting of Northern Traditional Leaders Committee on Primary Health Care (PHC) delivery and some Northern Governors on Cerebrospinal Meningitis outbreak in the country.

According to WHO Country Representative, Wondimagegnehu Alemu said, Nigeria henceforth needs to spend more and invest on outbreak investigation and detection, particularly in rolling out robust surveillance system.

He said, 500 cases of meningitis discovered sometimes last year in Zamfara would have been been avoided if there was a robust surveillance system.

His words: ‘We really appreciate the timely response of the Federal Government’s team to this outbreak. We also appreciate that there is enough space for us to work with governments both at federal and state levels, that is well appreciated by us.

“We also value the critical role of traditional leaders in promoting health, preventing diseases and encouraging compliance of people affected by the diseases. It is often said, health is wealth and none of you likes to see or have sick people. It is from that perspective I see committed leaders, officially elected, as well as traditional leaders, standing for their people.

“I am not going to go into the details, but in the past, meningitis type A was the one that ravaged most of these areas. Since you have successfully conducted the preventive vaccination, it has now shifted.

“The current type C is a new one. It has never been known to cause this magnitude of outbreak; it used to be only sporadic cases. So, that has left us with no option than to rely on few of the tools that we have including few number vaccines that are available at global level, through the strategy contingency plan. The government has applied and has received and judiciously distributed to the affected places and the vaccination has taken place. More is coming on the way.

“Now, I will like to take this opportunity as I conclude that, in as much as we are happy that the surveillance work was able to pick up, the response was very good and the timely response, particularly from all levels was commendable, but going forward, we believe that we need to spend more and invest on detection, outbreak investigation and detection, particularly in rolling out robust surveillance system, robust surveillance system is required to identify initial cases that have been occurring in those areas particularly.

“A good example is the number of 500 cases accidentally discovered sometimes last year in Zamfara. That would have been been avoided if there was a robust surveillance system.

“WHO is committed to work with government, particularly with the Federal Ministry of Health and with the states, starting with Sokoto and Zamfara to Katsina, depending on the availability of resources to build that robust surveillance system, starting from health facilities, to LGAs and finally at the national level. The reason is that, these colleagues at LGA level could spend more of their time, analysing the data and find out needs to be done as a matter of rapid response. The second one is along with this, having a stock of vaccine, medicine, depending on their availability and also the medical supplies. These are the areas where the Honorable Minister, the officials of the ministry of health and Governors need to please invest and help to particularly avoid any future outbreak or stampede at initial stage”, he said.

In his own goodwill message, UNICEF County Representative, Mohammed Fall said, children in the North East were already facing the burden of malnutrition. and all the consequences of the devastating conflicts and letting meningitis penetrate the region would increase the burden.

According to him, “We express appreciation to the Northern Traditional Council for the long term partnership with UNICEF with regards to primary health care in Nigeria. One example was just given by the Governor of Kaduna State of the partnership we have on polio. Today, Nigeria is very close to being a polio-free country; this is largely because of this partnership.

“Building on this critical role, I think the calling of this meeting to get your involvement in the control of the outbreak of meningitis could not have been more timely than now. Your role cannot be overemphasised, as communities listen to you, they accept your guidance and what we need today is to ensure that the messages get to the households, through the communities, through the families and there is no best partner than you in this fight.

“Meningitis is a highly communicable disease, but it can be easily controlled through very simple improved hygiene measures, understanding the mode of transmission, early health seeking behaviour can help very much to roll back this disease.

“I need to call attention of your excellences to the situation in the North East. We know that, in the North East, children are already facing the burden of malnutrition. They are already facing all the consequences of the devastating conflicts. Now, letting meningitis penetrate this area would increase the burden and this is why I want to take this opportunity to appeal to the Federal Minister Health, to appeal to all the partners for special attention to be paid to avoiding this disease get and spread into the North East”, he said.

Meanwhile, the Representative of the Department for International Development (DFID), Salma Kolo blamed the outbreak of the scourge on weak health system in Northern Nigeria, calling on the leaders of the region to improve on their efforts to fix the health system.

According to her, “The government of United Kingdom is concerned about the outbreak of meningitis in Northern Nigeria, just like it is concerned about the case of maternal and new born mortality. It sympathises with the government and people of Northern Nigeria and people of Nigeria in general.

“The United Kingdom government had immediately sent its contribution of 800,000 dozes of meningitis vaccines through WHO and that has been acknowledged and it is already being utilised in the country.

“As part of other programmes funded by the UK government, one of which is reduction and averting maternal death in Northern Nigeria and also improving child survival.

“The outbreak of meningitis is an indication of weak health system in Northern Nigeria. And I want to use this opportunity to plead with the leaders, especially the Executive Governors to continue to put in more efforts in strengthening the health system, especially the primary healthcare system.

“Unfortunately we in Northern Nigeria are not privileged, the vulnerable groups are mainly women and children that are jobless, have no access to funds. Therefore, their care must be provided for free of charge, 100 per cent free of charge and that is possible. It has been demonstrated in Nigeria and we are beginning to see the outcome of such commitment through the work that we do with the state governments’, said DFID representative.