ANOTHER SEASON OF MENINGITIS DEATHS 

The authorities could do more to stem the scourge

Last week, the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) issued an alert on the outbreak of meningitis in many parts of the country. But that was only after dozens of people had been killed by the seasonal disease. “The observed atmospheric conditions are currently favourable for meningitis, mainly across the northern part of the country,” said NiMET Bulletin. “The meningococcal meningitis remains the most prevalent strain within the meningitis belt.” Unfortunately, we have not seen any concerted efforts in the affected states to combat this 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 ventilation. The number of deaths and cases recorded so far remain unclear but there are indications of growing fatalities in many rural communities, especially in the North. To reduce the spread of meningitis, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has counselled that Nigerians should avoid overcrowding and ensure adequate ventilation and airflow 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.” To worsen matters, 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, resulting in the death of thousands of people, especially children. The spread becomes worse where 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 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 that Meningitis poses. The current problem arose basically because these steps and strategies were not followed or adhered to.

We call on health authorities in Abuja to deploy more of their field officers and staff to the states where the disease is high. We also urge them to do the needful in providing funds for vaccines without delay.

Even as efforts are being made to stop further spread of the disease, there should be a strategy to put an end to what has become an annual death sentence for many Nigerians.