Meningitis: Sultan of Sokoto Urges Governments At All Level To Prevent Outbreak
[contextly_auto_sidebar]
The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Mohammed Saad Abubakar has called on the federal and the state governments to put all hands on deck to check and contain the spread of Cerebro-Spinal Meningitis CSM ravaging the nation.
Alhaji Saad Abubakar made the call today in Kaduna while addressing participants at the Emergency Meeting of the Northern Traditional Leaders Committee on Primary Health Care delivery and Stakeholders on CSM outbreak.
The Sultan who was represented by the Emir of Zazzau, Alhaji Idris Shehu urged the two tiers of government to provide the necessary preventive materials to curtail the spread.
He commended the prompt intervention of the Federal and State Governments to control and eradicate the spread calling on them to sustain the tempo.
Alhaji Saad Abubakar who appreciated the Stakeholders for their efforts to tackle the menace pledged the assistance of the Royal Fathers to exterminate the scourge in the Society.
The Sultan called on the people to maintain clean environment and personal hygiene also advised them to keep their well well ventilated.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Northern Traditional Leaders Committee and the Shehu of Bama, Alhaji Kyari Ibn Umar Elkanemi promised that members of the Committee would work together with all stakeholders to end CSM in the Country.
The Shehu of Bama noted that the setting up of the Committee had helped in the immunization against all major killer diseases and reduction in the maternal-mortality rate in the region.
He called for urgent attention to curb the spread of CSM in the region.
The Host Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai stated that seventeen cases had been discovered in eleven Local Government Areas of Kaduna State and one death recorded.
Mallam El-Rufai explained that necessary measures had been put in place to slow down and curb the spread in the State .
The Governor expressed appreciation to the Federal Government for its timely intervention and commended the Royal Fathers for their support.
Also speaking, the Governor of Sokoto State, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal explained that over one thousand cases had been reported in seven local governments adding all stakeholders were mobilized to fight the challenges and praised the Royal Fathers for their collaboration.
The Governor pledged the State government support with all stakeholders to end the spread of the menace in the State.
In his remarks, the Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole also commended the traditional rulers for their support adding that the Federal Government would not relent until the disease is contain and eradicated in the Country.
Professor Adewole called for synergy between the Executive and Legislative arms of government and the need to put in more money into the Health sector.
Other speakers at the meeting included Country representatives of WHO, UNICEF, NEMA and DFID with all harping on the need to maintain personal and environment hygiene and called for the strengthening of the Health sector in the Northern region.
The meeting was attended by Governors, Royal Fathers and Stakeholders including the Governor of Kwara State, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed represented by his Deputy, Elder Peter Kisira and the Emir of Shonga, Dr Haliru Yahaya Ndanusa.
