Gombe State Government has cleared the air about a strange killer disease outbreak in some Local Government Areas, disclosing that results of samples collected from six fatalities in Nafada and Funakaye Local Government Areas, indicated Cerebrospinal meningitis.
While addressing journalists on the alleged strange killer disease, Commissioner for Health, Dr Habu Dahiru, said five cases were identified in Nafada and one in Funakaye LGA.
He disclosed that 95 identified cases were listed, while 84 cases have been treated and discharged.
According to him, six are currently on admission out of the 29 samples collected.
“Positive cases from Funakaye are two, and 20 are negative. Results are being awaited for seven. Number of mortalities recorded six (five in Nafada, one in Funakaye,” the commissioner added.
Dahiru said the ministry has commenced sensitisation of religious leaders on the dangers of cerebrospinal meningitis.
“We have disease notification officers, who send reports. We received a rumour that people died in the hundreds and this triggered our investigation. We went round to trace them but didn’t see the graves.
“When someone staying in Abuja gives figures of deaths in a state, you should ask him where he got his data. Formally, we received cases with symptoms suggestive of cerebrospinal meningitis in the Nafada LGA on February 18, and immediately swung into action
“I can’t activate an Integrated Management System now because we have not reached the threshold for cerebrospinal meningitis outbreak, which is 10 confirmed cases in a population of 100,000 people in 1 week.
“We are now at Alert Threshold in Nafada and Funakaye LGAS. I have since day one activated an Emergency Operation Centre, comprising of WHO, UNICEF, and NCDC for suspected CSM, and to also rule out Lassa fever.
The House of Representatives had called on the Federal Government to investigate and curtail the spread of the yet-to-be-identified disease that had killed an unspecified number of persons in the Nafada LGA of the state.
The House asked the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare as a matter of emergency, to urgently deploy its personnel to verify the nature of the disease.
It also called the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention to put up surveillance measures to contain the spread of the disease and ensure that adequate treatment is extended to affected victims
The resolution followed the adoption of a motion under matters of urgent public importance moved by Aboullahi El-Rasheed, the member representing Dukku/Nafada Federal Constituency, Gombe State.
Moving the motion, he lamented the outbreak of the yet-to-be-identified disease that is gradually spreading across communities in Nafada LGA.
According to him, the disease has claimed the lives of youths and children within the affected communities in the last few days, adding that the number of victims continues to increase rapidly, thereby instilling fear and apprehension in the affected communities.
He listed the symptoms of the disease to include severe headache, stomach pain, vomiting very smelly stool, and leg pain leading victims, which spread to other parts of the body before death.
The lawmaker said the Gombe State Primary Healthcare Development Agency has deployed more health personnel to support the existing staff members of Nafada General Hospital with a view to averting the spread of the disease and extending medical attention to affected victims.
“The House is disturbed that the blood samples of a few victims that were tested in the medical laboratory have shown negative reaction to Cerebrospinal Meningitis, which implies that the disease is yet to be diagnosed by health authorities and medical experts in Gombe State.
“Worried that the disease is fast spreading with about 30 deaths recorded as of February 26, 2024, and that it can potentially halt business and school activities across the communities as parents are afraid of sending their children to school due to fear of contracting the disease;
“We are further worried that the situation will escalate and spread to other neighbouring communities and local governments if not properly and professionally managed.”
Adopting the motion, the House mandated the Committees on Healthcare Services and Legislative Compliance to see to the matter.
