– The minister of health, Prof Isaac Adewole, says the meningitis outbreak took the Nigerian government unexpectedly
– The minister however, states that the state and federal governments should have been more prepared to contain the outbreak.
– Adewole says the federal government is on top of the situation
The health minister, Adewole, has said the federal government never expected the Type C meningitis outbreak of this magnitude.
The minister of health, Prof Isaac Adewole, has said the Type C meningitis outbreak that has ravaged 19 states in the country took the federal and state governments by surprise.
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Adewole made the disclosure on Monday, April 10, during the stakeholders’ meeting with the governor of Zamfara state, Abdul-Aziz Yari, and the meningitis and prevention and emergency response committee at the state government house, Gusau, the Punch reports.
ZENITHBLOG.com learnt that the minister of health stated that the state and federal governments should have been more prepared to contain the outbreak.
He said: “I also want to say that it (meningitis outbreak) was not unexpected. This is part of the meningitis belt in Africa, and since 2013, we’ve been having Type C, but this has been the worst outbreak. We never expected this magnitude, and this is where things went wrong.”
Adewole however, emphasised that the federal government was on top of the situation.
He said: ““Essentially, why we are here is to build confidence and assure the Nigerian people that we are on top of this outbreak.
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“This outbreak cannot mar Nigeria and cannot determine the future of the country. We can determine the outcome of this epidemic; we are on top of it and have all the necessary materials to contain the epidemic.”
Meningitis has so far killed over 440 persons and there have been about 4,000 cases across 19 states nationwide.
Meanwhile, ZENITHBLOG.com reports that Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III, has summoned all the 19 northern governors to a meeting following the outbreak of meningitis in northern Nigeria.
ZENITHBLOG.com gathered that a statement issued on Monday April 10 by the Kaduna government, said the parley is to seek alternative ways of importing vaccines to combat the infection.
The meeting is to hold today, Tuesday April 11 to find ways of preventing the spread of the killer disease.
In the video below, ZENITHBLOG.com TV took to the streets of Lagos to get reactions from some Nigerians about the victory of Efe at the recently concluded Big Brother Zenithbloga reality show. Watch:
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