Meningitis: Sokoto commences vaccination of 2m people

Sokoto State Government has commenced the vaccination of two million people against the type “C” strain of meningitis, the Commissioner for Health, Dr Balarabe Kakale, has said.

He told journalists in Sokoto on Wednesday during an update on the meningitis epidemic that the government has received the first installment of 20,000, doses of the vaccines from the Federal Government.

“The target population across the state are those aged between one and 30 years, the exercise was kick-started in Gada Local Government.

“This was done because the local government has the highest population of 300,000 in the state.

“The first case of meningitis was also recorded in the area about three months ago while it is also a front line local government, bordering Niger republic.

“Twelve teams are conducting the first phase of the exercise in the area with nine officials each,” he said.

Kakale further stated that the remaining twenty two local governments would be covered in the subsequent phases of the exercise.

“The state has since exited the first phase of the high alert, declared on March 20 on the health sector due to the epidemic.

“We are now in the second phase which entails the mass immunisation of the people of the state against the deadly strain of the disease.”

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Kakale had, penultimate week, put the meningitis related death toll at 41.

However, other deaths were confirmed in Shagari and Gudu local governments of the state.

The Chairman of Shagari Local Government Area, Alhaji Jabbi Shagari, on Tuesday confirmed 10 deaths, while his Gudu Local Government counterpart, Alhaji Ahmed Maidamma on Wednesday, confirmed two deaths.

NAN