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| Commissioner for Health, Lagos State Dr. Jide Idris |
Lagos State
government debunk media reports of deaths from meningitis in the State,
according to press release by Lagos State Ministry of Health
The Honorable Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris, speaking today
while reviewing the activities of the state government with regards to
curtailing and controlling the spread of the
meningitis epidemic said that the
report is false and is capable of causing
undue panic among the citizenry.
"The report carried by some newspapers and
online platforms is untrue and does not represent the reality of the
situation in Lagos State as at today", he said. For the
avoidance of doubt, there are two main types of meningitis. The epidemic prone meningitis which is
referred to as Cerebro-spinal meningitis (CSM) is caused by a bacteria
called Neisseria Meningitidis and its occurrence is seasonal or cyclical
depending on the level of herd immunity
and climatic conditions. The second type of meningitis is Non Epidemic
Meningitis. This type of meningitis
is usually caused by a virus or other bacteria, but not by Neisseria Meningitidis. The
Non-epidemic meningitis occurs without any
seasonal pattern or periodicity.
Idris also disclosed that though the Disease
Surveillance Notification Officer, Lagos Island Local Govt reported nine
suspected cases of meningitis from Massey Street Children Hospital in
Week 13 of this year with two deaths, none of these was confirmed as due
to the causative agent of
CSM.
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| Commissioner for Health, Lagos State Dr. Jide Idris |
He further revealed that though all the nine cases presented
with clinical features of meningitis at the said hospital but
laboratory tests proved that they were either due to Haemophilus
influenza or Streptococcus pneumoniae and not Neisseria meningitidis.
Idris, in addition, said that the Ministry of Health was also notified last week of a three year old
boy presenting clinically as
meningitis at a registered private facility
in Lagos but the laboratory investigations did not confirm CSM.
According to him "the blood culture yielded no growth but the urine
culture yielded Klebsiella and not meningococcus. The patient is
already responding to treatment" He went on to affirm
that "none of these cases presented with a history of recent travel
to any area with an outbreak of meningitis and neither were
visits
from such areas
recorded with the aforementioned cases". Idris seized the
opportunity to reiterate the Lagos State government's firm resolve to
prevent and control the spread of the epidemic to the state. He then
urged the people of the state to support governmental effort by
reporting suspected cases to the nearest public health facility or
call the following lines 08037170614, 08023169485.
The Commissioner also underscored the need for the
observance of a high standard of personal and environmental hygiene as a
preventive measure against the outbreak of the disease noting that such
hygiene measures should include washing of hands with soap and
water frequently and thoroughly, avoiding direct contact with the
discharges from an infected person and covering of mouth and nose when
coughing and sneezing. “It is strongly advised for people to avoid
overcrowding in living quarters, provide cross ventilation in sleeping
and work-rooms and other places where many people come together and get
vaccinated with CSM vaccine when you are travelling to areas where
Meningitis outbreaks have been reported”, he added. Idris noted
that health workers in the state have already been placed on red alert
on the disease and surveillance teams consisting of epidemiologists are
also intensifying their surveillance and monitoring activities.
“Health workers are also advised to avoid close
and prolonged contacts with suspected and probable cases of CSM, ensure
proper disposal of respiratory and throat secretions of cases, report
suspected or probable cases and observe universal precaution and make
use of personal protective equipment when in contact with such
cases”.
"There is no need to panic. We will continue with
our surveillance activities, constantly review our records and brief the
public from time to time", he added. Adeola Salako Director,
Public
AffairsLagos State
Ministry of Health
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