Like wildfire, the outbreak of Meningitis, caused by one of the several strains of the bacteria, Neisseria Meningitidis, is spreading across Nigeria, especially the Northern states. The ferocious return of the deadly disease this year, with its deadlier Type C strain, calls for serious emergency measures.
Although Meningitis A infection, which used to be responsible for 80 per cent of cases, may have been defeated in Africa by a vaccine developed five years ago, the unexpected explosion of the new strain has no less become worrisome.
Experts fear very little is known about it to adequately predict its cause and enormity, and the rate at which the disease progresses, from a bad headache to death, often renders medical care and attention too late for the victims.
Already, more than 300 people have been reported dead in Nigeria since the outbreak of the disease a few days ago. Yet, more people are said to be on the danger list due to infection from the deadly disease.
Information has it that most North Western States of Sokoto, Zamfara, Kebbi, Katsina, Niger and the Federal capital, Abuja, are battling with close to 3,000 cases.
Reports from the Federal Ministry of Health indicate that 90 local government areas across 16 States, including Zamfara, Kano, Katsina, Sokoto, Kebbi, Niger, Nasarawa, Jigawa, FCT, Gombe, Taraba, Yobe, Cross Rivers, and Plateau, have been affected by the epidemic.
The latest outbreak is believed to be the worst in the history of the country since 2009, when 156 people died.
Sadly, Nigeria is now starkly confronted with the result of ignoring prior warnings by health experts, and the failure of appropriate authorities and agencies to take pre-emptive measures.
Distributing only 500,000 doses of Meningitis C vaccines to all the affected states for immediate outbreak response in a situation where Zamfara alone is grappling with a huge number of cases is, to say the least, pathetic.
The yearly outbreak of the disease in Nigeria and its concomitant heavy loss of lives is a clear evidence of failure on the part of the political leadership to take proactive and pre-emptive measures to forestall recurrence.
Cerebrospinal Meningitis is often caused by the bacteria, Neisseria meningitides. Bacterial meningitis is an infection of the meninges, the thin covering of the brain and spinal cord.
Symptoms of the disease include stiff neck, high fever, rash, headache, vomiting and convulsion. Observers say it is commonly caused by severe heat. It is ravaging in an atmosphere where there is no proper ventilation.
On the other hand, if you have close contact with a person who has viral meningitis, you may become infected with the virus that made the person sick, but you are not likely to develop Meningitis from the illness.
The latest outbreak, believed to be the worst in the history of the country since 2009, has underscored the need for the Federal Government to seek more practical measures to combatthe yearly occurrence of the disease
The severity and enormity of Meningitis is such that people can carry the viruses without being sick, posing more danger of spreading it to others. Most survivors are also said to be left brain-damaged, paralysed, are prone to seizures and their limbs usually have to be amputated.
Although Nigeria has witnessed outbreaks of Meningitis in the past, the current one, caused by a new strain of Cerebro Spinal Meningitis, was purportedly imported from Niger Republic.
Therefore, new vaccines are required in its prevention and preventive measures should, as a matter of urgency, be put in place to combat its spread.
Already, the Federal Ministry of Health has deployed epidemiologists to the affected states to minimise the impact among the people. But the states that are free from the outbreak should take precautions, since Meningitis is spread by contact with an infected individual. Overcrowding should be avoided. And it is important that windows are left open to avoid a stuffy atmosphere.
Because children are more susceptible to meningitis, suspected cases of unusual fever should be reported at a health facility.Immunising children against the disease, which remains the main method of prevention, should be prioritised by all parents.
While the disease can be cured if detected early, experts have advised that citizens should endeavour to take measures to check its spread. Such measures include avoidance of overcrowding, sleeping in well ventilated places, avoidance of close and prolonged contact with cases, proper disposal of respiratory and throat secretions, strict observance of hand hygiene, reduction in sharing utensils, avoidance of self-medication, and kissing or medical intervention such as mouth resuscitation, among others.
Meanwhile, the latest outbreak has underscored the need for the Federal Government to seek more practical measures to combat the yearly occurrence of the disease.
To start with, adequate funds should be allocated to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control to empower the agency for research efforts that will lead to the local discovery of vaccines that can tackle the menace in the country.
It is also now more important than ever that Nigeria collaborates with other developing countries such as India, Brazil and Cuba, which already have state-owned factories, manufacturing meningitis vaccines and producing more dosage than required by their citizens.
Getting technical assistance from these countries towards producing the vaccines here in Nigeria would be a step in the right direction.
Government bureaucracies, which usually hamper urgent efforts at nipping such emergencies and outbreak of diseases in the bud, should also be done away with, especially regarding efforts to have meningitis vaccines manufactured locally.
