Sokoto May Close Schools as Death Toll Hits 23 over Meningitis Outbreak

Following the death toll as a result of meningitis outbreak which has killed 23 people in Sokoto State, the Commissioner for Health, Alhaji Balarabe Kakale, yesterday said the state government is contemplating closing some public and private schools in the state.

Kakale, who made the confirmation during the ongoing sensitisation campaign in DangeShuni Local Government Area of the state, said government would have no other option than to close the schools temporarily if the problem persists.

He maintained that the present administration was determined to do what ever it takes to enhance the well being of the people.

‘’This is to save more lives of the people of the state, although the cases are reducing, while the people are now reporting the suspected cases to the healt facilities.

“We are hereby again, calling on the people of the state that the cases of meningitis should not be linked to witchcraft or sorcery.

“Rather, all suspected cases should be reported to the hospitals as the state government had stocked adequate drugs and medicament for the free treatment of the patients,” he said.

He stated that the deaths were recorded in the seven worst hit local government areas of Kebbe, Bodinga, Rabah, Wamakko, Gada, Dange/Shuni and Tureta.

Kakale said the state government had on March 20 deployed 15 medical teams, comprising over 150 medical personnel.

According to him, they were deployed across the 23 local governments of the state, fully equipped with ambulances and provided with free drugs, as well as medicament.

‘They had so far treated 400 mixed cases of severe malaria and meningitis across the seven top-hit local governments.

‘’Out of the 400 cases, 56 were confirmed in the laboratories to be cases of meningitis, out of which additional fatalities were recorded.

“These 16 additional deaths excluded the seven deaths earlier recorded in parts of Gada Local Government,” he stressed.

Kakale pointed out that thousands of other cases were treated at the primary health centres in the state by the respective local government areas.

The commissioner therefore, urged parents in the state to ensure that their children were fully immunised against polio and the six child killer diseases that include tuberculosis, whopping cough, measles, meningitis, among others.