The Executive Secretary of the Federal Capital Territory Primary Health Care Development Board, Dr. Rilwanu Mohammed, during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja on Thursday disclosed that the board has received donation of 1,000 doses of drugs from the United Nations Children’s Fund to treat the Cerebrospinal Meningitis currently ravaging certain parts of the country.
He explained that the drugs had been distributed to all general hospitals and teaching hospital in the territory.
According to him, the World Health Organisation also donated three stereotyping machines to carry out screening for CSM in FCT.
He told NAN that those machines were distributed to Maitama General Hospital, Jabi Medical Centre and University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada.
The secretary urged people living in Abuja to report to the nearest hospital when they notice any case of meningitis and also desist from self medication.
Mohammed said that so far, six persons had died out of 10 suspected cases recorded in Abuja Municipality, Bwari and Kuje area councils.
He said he had exhausted the vaccines given to FCT but awaiting additional stocks from the National Primary Health Care Development Agency for the continuation of immunisation against meningitis.
He said his board had carried out immunisation in all the 22 Internally Displaced Persons’ camps in Abuja because of their vulnerability to the disease.
The secretary enjoined residents of FCT not to panic, saying that the government was committed to tackling the spread of CSM in Abuja.
Posed by Juliet Ekwebelam
