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By Olatunde Odimayo.
Following the discovery of Cerebro Spinal Meningitis, CSM, which has claimed more than 330 lives in the country, the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), Kogi state chapter, has raised concerns over possible case of the killer disease in Kogi State if measures are not put in place to avert it.
The state Acting Chairman of NMA, Dr Godwin Tijani stated this in Lokoja while reacting on the recent case of meningitis reported in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory.
Recall that since the outbreak of meningitis in the country which was reported to have affected 16 states including Zamfara, Niger, Kebbi, Sokoto, Abuja, and Katsina States, Zamfara remains the most ravaged in the latest outbreak, with 215 out of 336 deaths reported nation wide.
Dr Tijani, who observed that the disease is usually common within the month of December and June when the weather condition is harsh, urged Kogites to avoid sleeping in overcrowded condition, maintain a well ventilated environment to avert the outbreak of the disease.
Dr Tijani, while affirming that Kogi state has not recorded any case of Type ‘C’ Cerebrospinal meningitis currently affecting some parts of the country, charged the state government, stakeholders and the general public to be proactive as regard the outbreak of the disease.
“As I speak to you, meningitis is a big threat to Kogi state now that it has been reported in Abuja. Being a transit state, we are at a great risk since we can’t control the influx of people passing the state to neighbouring areas. It will be very difficult to identify any one carrying the causative agent,” he said.
According to him, meningitis is caused by virus, several bacterial such as, Streptococcus pneumoniae, also called pneumococcus; Neisseria meningitidis, also called meningococcus; Haemophilus influenzae, also called Hib, and Listeria monocytogenes.
The NMA chairman however urged the general public to report to the nearest health centre if any person is sighted with the symptom of fever, persistent headache, neck stiffness and pain that makes it difficult to touch his chin to his chest, nausea and vomiting, confusion and disorientation (acting “goofy”), drowsiness or sluggishness, and sensitivity to bright light.
Dr Tijani also used the medium to appeal to electricity distribution company to help avert the outbreak of meningitis in Kogi state noting that, when their is power supply for people to sleep in their homes, there will be less heat and it help improve the conditions of the people.
“Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) has a role to play in curtailing this outbreak. It will do more harm than good if, with this harsh weather condition, consumers fails to sleep with electricity. Most of the cases of meningitis reported today is traceable to excessive heat which is not good for the body,” he said.
It would be recalled that as at April 3, 2017, a total of 2,997 suspected cases of CSM have been reported in 16 States in Nigeria, of which 146 have been laboratory-confirmed and 336 people confirmed dead.
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