Health
Meningitis plague hits Yobe, kill 20 students
A viral disease, Meningitis, has hit Yobe state leaving at least 20 students dead.
This was disclosed by the State’s Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Dr. Muhammad Sani Idris, who confirmed the outbreak, saying 20 students were killed by the disease suspected to be meningitis.
The students were boarding public schools in Potiskum, Fika, and Fune local government areas of Yobe State.
It was learnt that the deaths were recorded in Government Science Technical College, Government Girls Science Technical College, and Federal Government Girls College, all in Potiskum LG.
Commenting, the Commissioner said Governor Mai Mala Buni had directed the state Ministry of Education to temporarily relocate to Potiskum in response to the outbreak.
The commissioner also confirmed that several students had been admitted to Potiskum Specialist Hospital.
He said, “This disease is from God and you can’t run away from it once it comes, but we must wake up to fight this outbreak to curtail it from spreading to other areas. After this outbreak hit the Government Science Technical College Potiskum and other two secondary schools, I as Commissioner, my Permanent Secretary, and the Executive Secretary of the state’s Science Technical Board as well as the chairman of the Teaching Service Board have been relocated to Potiskum temporarily.
“I had a meeting with the principals of these three secondary schools to join hands together and fight this disease. We have parked out ambulances in all these schools for emergency cases. We also assigned three teachers to work for three hours in the classes checking the conditions of these students who are not affected.
“After three hours another three teachers will take over from them checking the health condition of these unaffected students asking them if they are not feeling fine or have new reactions in their bodies. We are doing this 24-hour service as proactive measures to ensure that we curtail this disease.
“At least 17 students have died in two secondary schools belonging to Yobe state government while one lady from the Federal Government Girls College also died as a result of this disease.
“I cannot give you the number of the affected students now because there are students who are in isolation centres in their schools. We also have some students who are currently receiving treatment in the hospital due to their health condition.
“We received a report that this disease has spread to some schools in Fika and Fune LGAs but so far we have a record of 20 students who died in both primary and secondary schools in the state after finding new cases in Gadaka and Jajere villages who are under Fika and Fune LGAs.
“His Excellency, Governor Mai Mala Buni had directed the Ministry of Health to send their medical team (doctors and technicians) to investigate the cause of this outbreak and provide drugs and other medication. We thank God they (students) are doing well, we are hoping that things will get better.”
He further emphasised the importance of ensuring the well-being of all students and finding effective remedies for those affected, stressing the establishment of temporary isolation centres in schools to provide students with first aid treatment.
“We have temporarily relocated to Potiskum until all the students are in good health. We established temporary isolation centres. Ensuring their well-being is our responsibility. So we will not relent in providing all the necessary support,” he said.
Meningitis is an inflammation (swelling) of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord. A bacterial or viral infection of the fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord usually causes the swelling. However, injuries, cancer, certain drugs, and other types of infections also can cause meningitis. It is important to know the specific cause of meningitis because the treatment differs depending on the cause.
By Ismail Azeez, Osogbo
In a move to ensure inclusive healthcare, the Osun State Health Insurance Agency (OSHIA) on Thursday said the agency has concluded a plan to train nurses and other health workers in government hospitals on sign language interpretation in the state.
The agency disclosed that the aims is to bridge the communication gap between deaf or dumb pregnant women and healthcare providers
The Executive Secretary of the agency, Dr Rasaq Akindele stated this while featuring on NewsPoints, organised by the members of Osun NUJ Correspondents’ Chapel, Osogbo.
According to him, “We will train nurses and other health workers that are in various government hospitals on how to interpret signs, so that at a particular time that any deaf or dumb pregnant woman comes to the hospital somebody would be there to interpret the signs to the doctors and the nurses on duty to get adequate health.”
Akindele expressed intentions to register all the pregnant women in the state into the scheme to have free healthcare services during the pregnancy.
Speaking on the achievements of the agency, since he took over the mantle of power, Dr Akindele said no fewer than 23,000 retirees have been enrolled into the Osun Health insurance Agency of the State Government.
He said it was part of the State government’s effort to ensure that retired civil servants received their health benefits after their mandatory service years.
He said OSHIA, being an Agency saddled with the responsibility of ensuring, provision of health insurance scheme to the citizens of the state, hinted that there is continuous enrollment for those who are retiring from service on a daily basis.
He noted many people have benefited from the Agency since Governor Ademola Adeleke took over the leadership of the state.
Akindele stated that enrollment of pensioners have been digitised and as such had made it easier for them to have access to health facilities for their health issues .
He lamented the rate of ignorance of people about Agency, saying the Agency had been carrying out Enlightenment programs for people to know how to go about their health issues,
He said, “One of the major challenges the Agency is having is about education. Many people still believed in an analog way of doing registration of the health insurance scheme. We have gone digital and many people are yet to follow the trend of things. This is why we have to partner with media organisations for various Enlightenment programmes of our Agency.
“The total enrollee in the formal sector is 244,000 and it is likely to increase when the governor starts employing the way he has promised. And in the informal sector, we have 13,462 enrollees; what we met on ground was little less than 4,000. And our aim is to capture nothing less than 6 percent of the people who are living in Osun State.
“We are coping with the little resources we have in OSHIA and at anytime we are running out fund and we have to get some succour from the governor
“We have code which anybody can go through our website to get information and get all access to health insurance scheme programmes. We will continue to do our best to ensure that every citizen of this state benefits and cues into this program because health is wealth.”
The Lagos State Government has called for heightened vigilance and adoption of precautionary measures as the state records cholera outbreak resulting in five fatalities.
The state Commissioner for Health, Prof. Akin Abayomi, in a statement on Tuesday, warned that the state had recorded an excess report of severe gastroenteritis cases in the last 48 hours.
Speaking on the surveillance reports, Abayomi disclosed that cases of severe gastroenteritis have been reported in communities around Eti-Osa, Lagos Island, Ikorodu and Kosofe Local Government Area of the state.
He noted that the outbreak resulted in about 60 hospital admissions, and five deaths recorded mainly from patients presenting late with extreme dehydration.
“We have activated a statewide heightened surveillance and response.
“The Ministry of Health Directorate of Environmental Health and the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency have been alerted to investigate a possible water contamination source in the Lekki, Victoria Island axis.
“We suspect a possible cholera outbreak; however, samples have been taken for confirmation,” he said.
The commissioner noted that following recent rainfall, Lagos had witnessed a notable increase in cases of severe vomiting and watery stools, adding that urban slums and crowded areas with poor sanitation are particularly at risk.
Abayomi explained that cholera is a highly contagious disease that causes severe diarrhoea and can be life-threatening.
He added that it posed a significant health burden in areas with poor water treatment and sanitation, and could impact the state.
“Cholera spreads through direct transmission by eating or drinking contaminated food or water, and indirect transmission due to poor sanitation and lack of handwashing.
“Symptoms of cholera include; severe watery diarrhea, vomiting, rapid dehydration, muscle cramps, fever and sometimes collapse,” he said.
According to him, treatment options for cholera include dehydration, and using Oral dehydration Salts for mild to moderate dehydration.
He noted that intravenous fluids are used for severely dehydrated patients, given only in medical facilities and supervised by medical personnel.
“To prevent cholera, citizens are urged to ensure safe drinking water by boiling, chlorinating, or using bottled water, and avoiding ice products made from untreated water.
“Maintaining proper sanitation by using toilets, safely disposing of faeces, and avoiding open defecation is crucial.
“Practicing good hygiene, such as washing hands with soap and clean water regularly, especially before eating, preparing food, and after using the toilet, is essential and following food safety guidelines,” Abayomi advised.
He also advised residents to rely on the state Ministry of Health, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and accredited local health facilities for guidance, advice, and updates on prevention, treatment, and management.
The commissioner disclosed that suspected cases should be promptly reported via the following emergency hotlines: 08023169485, 08137412348, or by using helplines 767 or 112 to safeguard communities.
Abayomi promised to keep the public informed and restated the state’s commitment to ensuring the health and well-being of its citizens.
The NCDC showed that as of April 28, Nigeria had reported 815 suspected cholera cases and 14 deaths across 25 states.
By Sodiq Adelakun
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has inaugurated a state-of-the-art Paediatric Sickle Cell Centre at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH).
The centre, donated by the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (OSSAP-SDGs), aims to provide comprehensive care to children suffering from sickle cell disease.
At the inauguration, Governor Sanwo-Olu emphasized the centre’s role in providing early diagnosis, advanced treatment, and continued management to affected children.
He also highlighted the centre’s potential as a hub for research and education, promoting greater awareness and understanding of sickle cell disease.
The Paediatric Sickle Cell Centre is expected to provide relief to families affected by the condition and contribute to improved healthcare outcomes in Lagos State.
“This will not only transform our total healthcare landscape but will add to the number of childcare facilities that already exist in our state health institutions.
“It will raise the capacity of the state’s medical services and, very importantly, contribute to improving the state’s infant and maternal mortality index,” he said.
The governor noted that the centre would provide an environment where children could receive holistic care tailored to their needs, from medical treatment to psychological support.
“We believe that this will ensure that every child that has an opportunity to come to this facility will come out healthier, better, and they’ll be able to fulfil their life,” he said.
Recall that the Minister of State for Health and Social Welfare, Tunji Alausa, restated the Federal Government’s commitment to combat non-communicable diseases and improve healthcare outcomes for Nigerians.
Alausa said that sickle cell disease, alongside malaria, cancer, hypertension, diabetes, and other non-communicable diseases, represents a substantial health burden for the country, worsening morbidity and mortality of citizens.
“At the federal level, we recognise the urgent need to address these challenges and are committed to building a robust infrastructure to manage and mitigate the impact in collaboration with our subnational government.
“The establishment of this state-of-the-art Sickle Cell Centre is a testament to the dedication of the SDG office to provide quality healthcare and infrastructure to our people.
“This centre is not merely a building, it is a beacon of hope for many and a cornerstone of our strategy to enhance healthcare services nationwide,” he said.
The minister stressed the importance of leveraging the resources to its fullest potential, ensuring that it delivers on its promise to improve lives.
Mr Alausa advised subnational governments to form strategic partnerships for healthcare and human capital development, stressing that through collaboration, a resilient healthcare system capable of meeting the demand of the population would emerge.
He commended the Lagos State government and OSSAP-SDGs on their partnership to provide top-tier cancer care to children and their commitment to innovative research.
Meanwhile, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals, Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire said the centre is dedicated to enhancing the quality of care for children with sickle cell disease.
She highlighted that this initiative aims to reduce under-five child mortality rates and support the country’s progress toward achieving its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Speaking at the event, Chief Medical Director of LASUTH, Adetokunbo Fabamwo, emphasized Nigeria’s high prevalence of sickle cell disease, with nearly three million people affected.
He noted that the condition significantly contributes to childhood morbidity and mortality.
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