Vaccination, easy way out of meningitis

Nigeria has always been bedevilled with the stereotype A in years past but this new strain of the bacterial disease, Meningitis Stereotype C that is ravaging the country, experts say is best prevented by vaccination and avoidance of overcrowding reports Sade Oguntola.

Are you worried about how you can protect yourself from contracting Cerebrospinal meningitis? Aside maintaining good ventilation, eating well and getting vaccinated are sure ways of warding off the disease current spreading in 16 states of the nation.

Meningitis is one of the diseases that is associated with hot, dry weather and normally occur between November and March or April annually. Vaccines against the infection are available in many hospitals.

Nigeria has always been bedevilled with the stereotype A of the bacterial disease in years past and millions of doses of the vaccine had helped to curtail deaths from it. There are vaccines also for the new strain of the bacterial disease, Stereotype C Meningitis that is currently ravaging many states in the country.

The strain, identified as “stereotype C”, emerged in place of the previously known type “stereotype A”, which has disappeared. The strain is said to be responsible for the increasing cases of meningitis in adjacent Sokoto and Kebbi states between 2013 and 2016.

C strain is not new to Nigeria. Published research studies show that the 2015 outbreak was the third consecutive year of CSM outbreaks due to type C.  CSM outbreaks due to type C were reported in 2013: Sokoto – 856 cases and 58 deaths; in 2014: Kebbi – 333 cases and 35 deaths; and in 2015: Kebbi – 5714 cases and 292 deaths and Sokoto 680 cases and 29 deaths.

People can avail themselves of the vaccines in many government hospitals. “We have what is called routine vaccines and these are vaccines you do not pay for but because of the current episode of meningitis, University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan will make available the meningitis vaccine free of charge,” Professor Temitope  Alonge, UCH’s Chief Medical Director assured.

Professor Alonge said the hospital was also prepared to provide care and free medications for all meningitis cases brought into the hospital, adding, “once the diagnosis is made, children with meningitis will be moved to our infectious disease ward for appropriate care.

“Oyo State about two or three weeks ago intensified its immunisation programme, and UCH, Ibadan was part of the team that worked on this. So we are ready to pick any case that comes up.”

Is this the time to sleep in poorly ventilated and overcrowded rooms? Dr Humphrey Okoroukwu, the Deputy Director Public Health, Health and Human Services in the FCT, described good ventilation and clean environment as also key to warding off meningitis.

According to him, “Ventilation is key; keeping the environment clean is very important and prompt visit to the hospital; access the facilities being provided like vaccination which is ongoing.”

Okoroukwu added that good ventilation, especially in crowded areas like slums where the living condition is really poor, is important given that “there are some people who are healthy carriers of the disease, they spread it, they look healthy, but they do not know they have it.’’

He stated that everybody is at risk of contracting the disease considering Nigeria’s environmental conditions, but that individuals below 29 years were most vulnerable.

The medical expert stated that prompt reporting the disease rather than resorting to self medication or presuming it to be malaria or typhoid is also imperative.

Also, avoidance of close contact with cases of meningitis and limitation of travels to areas with cases of the diseases are other potential preventive strategies.

Meningitis is a life-threatening medical emergency. Death from meningitis can occur within a few days. Although most people recover from meningitis, it can, however, leave in its trail such devastating permanent disabilities as brain damage, hearing impairment, gait abnormalities and cognitive challenges.

Certainly, meningitis is not new to Nigeria and the stereotype A of the bacterial disease is very common. However, the causalities from meningitis Professor Tanimola Akande, National, President, Association of Public Health Physicians of Nigeria, linked to non availability of vaccines against stereotype C meningitis that is now prevalent.

Professor Akande, however, stated that many conditions also can cause meningitis such as measles and immune system disorders, stressing that usually people with meningitis have signs that include fever, stiffness of neck, headache, nausea, high irritability, reacting to light, and vomiting.

Meanwhile, Akande stated that there are a lot of things that individuals can do to protect themselves in the short term. Ensuring good ventilation he said is important because bacterial meningitis can be transmitted by sneezing, coughing, or even living in crowded conditions from infected persons or carriers. Also, it can be contracted through kissing and sharing utensils, cutlery and toothbrushes.

About one in 10 people carry meningococcal bacteria in their nose or throat without showing any signs or symptoms of the disease. These people can unknowingly transmit the bacteria to others.

However, health watchers expressed concern that lives may continuously be lost yearly to meningitis if early warning system or surveillance is not put in place so that government can respond appropriately and timely.

Professor Christian Happi, Dean, College of Postgraduate Studies, Redeemer’s University, Ede, Osun State said, “If we had put in place a strong surveillance system, that would have established an early warning system that can pick up the first few cases and then respond appropriately. This had to start at the local government level.”

Meanwhile, the Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole, said that a team of epidemiologists had been deployed to address the challenge.

The minister, who described the outbreak of meningitis in the country as unfortunate, said the ministry was working hard to contain the new strain of CSM.

“We have started working with all the affected states in specific areas of collaboration on massive awareness and sensitisation, laboratory investigation and analysis, proper documentation and disease surveillance techniques through the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control and National Primary Health Care Development Authority who have been of tremendous support since the outbreak.

“We are in constant discussion with WHO, UNICEF, E-health Africa and other international health agencies for supplies of vaccines and injections. Even with the tunnels of accomplishment made, we are not relenting on all the progress made, as we have been assured of millions of vaccine doses through other notable and international donor agencies.”