TRADITIONAL rulers from the Northern states and the governors from the North, on Tuesday, held a meeting in Kaduna, Kaduna State, where they resolved to end the problem of Cerebrospinal Meningitis (CSM) ravaging some parts of the North.
The traditional rulers were led by the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Abubakar Sa’ad, who was represented by the Emir of Zazzau, Alhaji Shehu Idris, and the meeting was held at the Sir Kashim Ibrahim Government House.
Also at the event, Sokoto State governor, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal, disclosed that over 1,000 cases of meningitis were reported in the state.
Speaking during the emergency meeting, the Sultan of Sokoto said that the royal fathers were determined to assist in tackling the menace of meningitis ravaging some communities in the region.
Sa’ad disclosed that so far, about 16 states in the country had been affected by the disease, adding that efforts by the federal and state governments to combat the disease were commendable.
In his own remarks, Governor Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna State, said the North-West zone had been battling meningitis epidemic for the past two months.
“It is a new type of meningitis that our health care professionals are not conversant with- type C meningitis.
“Here in Kaduna State, we have 17 suspected cases across the 11 local government areas with one type C case and one death.
“We have instituted measures alongside those instituted by neighbouring states and with the steps we have taken, we hope the epidemic will not occur in Kaduna State.
“We have intensified surveillance and engaged in mass media enlightenment while mobilising appropriate medicines and medical supplies in our hospitals across the state.” he said.
Also speaking, Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State revealed that “we had cases in about seven local governments. We had over 1000 cases reported and the state government had to mobilised with traditional leaders in the state and other stakeholders, particularly our development partners.
“We had a collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health. We received over 20,000 vaccines from the ministry and we are expecting about 800,000 more vaccines. Our target is to have two million vaccines for vaccinations to cover most of the areas.”
