BEVERLY HILLS, April 07, (THEWILL) – The Director of Public Health, Oyo State Ministry of Health, Dr Oyewole Lawal, has confirmed two suspected cases of Cerebro Spinal Meningitis (CSM) in Ojoo, Akinyele Local Government Area.
Lawal explained that there was a collaboration between the state Ministry of Health, Disease Control Unit and all the 33 local government health offices adding that the state government had requested for vaccines from the Federal Ministry of Health.
According to him, the type of meningitis recorded in Oyo is the “Zero Type C” which has ravaged some states in the country.
“Our Surveillance Committee has reported two patients in the Hausa Community of Ojoo area of Ibadan, who manifested some symptoms of CSM.
“The two suspects arrived Ibadan from the Northern part of the country and they manifested some symptoms of CSM.
“We have beefed-up tracking and increased surveillance efforts in all primary health care centres at the local government levels, secondary healthcare level and all the private hospitals around Ojoo.
“Oyo State Government is making spirited efforts to ensure that officers at the Disease Notification and Surveillance Unit are working assiduously to monitor the suspects.
“As soon as we get the alert from the state office, we will immediately alert the Disease Notification and Surveillance officers in the 33 local government areas of the state.
“I can say that Oyo State is fully equipped and ready to prevent or curb the scourge of any outbreak of meningitis in the state.
“We hold meetings every first week of the month where we analyse reports from these local governments.
“The local government officer concerned usually sends alerts to us at the Ministry of Health, we, in turn, inform the National Centre for Disease Control, a unit of the Federal Health Ministry.
“The Federal Ministry then alerts the WHO office and Presidency at the same time. So, we are on top of events in Oyo State,” he said.
Also, Prof. Temitope Alonge, the UCH Chief Medical Director, said that the hospital was in collaboration with other two levels of healthcare delivery in the state.
According to him, people should sleep in a well-ventilated place, ensure proper disposal of respiratory and throat secretions and strict observance of handwashing as he advised the youth to avoid kissing and close prolonged contact with CSM patients.
“Others are; avoidance of sneezing into elbow joint and sleeves, reduce handshaking, kissing, sharing utensils or medical interventions like mouth resuscitation and avoidance of self-medication,” he said.
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