THE UNENDING MENINGITIS SCOURGE  

The authorities could do more to stem the endemic affliction

Recent revelation by theNigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) that the country recorded a total of 303 confirmed cases and 190 deaths from Cerebrospinal Meningitis (CSM) across 29 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) between 2022 and 2023 is worrying. Especially with the disease now spreading across several states in the North. Unfortunately, we have not seen any concerted efforts in the affected states to combat another dangerous seasonal disease that has claimed the lives of thousands of Nigerians in the past few decades. 

Meningitis is an acute inflammation of the protective organs and membranes with layers surrounding the brain and spinal cord. Symptoms include headache, vomiting, stiffness of the neck, loss of consciousness and fever. In most cases, Meningitis becomes intense and widespread during heat period and in areas where there is no adequate ventilation. There are indications of growing fatalities in many rural communities, especially in the North. To reduce the spread of meningitis, NCDC counselled that Nigerians should avoid overcrowding and ensure good ventilation in their homes. Yet, this is a recurring health challenge for which there should have been containment measures. 

A former Minister of State for Health, Osagie Ehanire, once lamented that Nigeria usually suffers meningitis “around this time of year when dry season is turning to raining season; in the area called the ‎meningitis belt that ranges all the way from Senegal down to Ethiopia, Eritrea. And the prevailing germ was the Meningococcus A”. The challenge, according to Ehinare, is that there is currently no cross immunisation for the disease. “If you are immune to Type A, it doesn’t make you immune to Type C. And because Type C was very rare, the availability of vaccines has been very meagre relatively,” Ehinare said while explaining the challenge of the health authorities. To make matters worse, the entire West African sub-region has since been declared Meningitis belt, as the disease sweeps across Niger, Togo, Chad, Burkina Faso, Nigeria, and Cameroun. 

It is unfortunate that for decades, a preventable disease like Meningitis has been a recurring epidemic in Nigeria and has led to the death of thousands of people, especially children. The spread becomes worse when the environment is not clean, and sanitation is not taken seriously. And that is partly because relevant authorities are not alive to their responsibilities. One, with the precautionary warning by the National Meteorological Agency (NiMET), the federal government should have expedited collaborative actions with vulnerable states for preventive measures. Two, we believe that the issue of hygiene ought to have been taken more seriously. And on that score, there is an urgent need for a public enlightenment campaign in the country. 

As has been explained, the disease is fatal and thrives more in areas where hygiene is lacking or is low. We therefore expect a more robust campaign on hygienic environment in view of the dangers of the disease. The current problem arose basically because these steps and strategies were not followed or adhered to. This should be a wake-up call. 

While we commend the efforts put so far in curtailing the disease, health authorities in Abuja and the 36 states still need to do more. We call on them to deploy more of their field officers and staff to the states where the disease is prevalent. We also urge the government to do the needful in providing funds for vaccines. Even as efforts are being made to stop further spread of this disease are in top gear, there should be a strategy to put an end to what has become an annual death sentence for many Nigerians.