Oyo free of meningitis, says Health Commissioner

Oyo free of meningitis, says Health Commissioner

Saturday, April 8, 2017 7:11 pm


Vaccination for Meningitis Photo Credit Sundiata Post

Gbenro Adesina/Ibadan

Oyo Commissioner for Health, Dr Azeez Adeduntan has said clinical diagnosis conducted on eight residents of the State suspected to have contracted meningitis returned negative results, indicating that they are free from the virus.

Adeduntan, therefore, told journalists on Saturday in Ibadan, that as a result of this development, the state is free of meningitis stressing, “There is no outbreak of cerebrospinal meningitis in the state”.

He said, “As at 2:30 p.m on Friday, April 7, 2017, there is no confirmed case of meningitis in the state adding that four of the suspected meningitis cases were recorded at the General Hospital, Moniya in Akinyele Local Government and another four at Oni Memorial Hospital, near Mobil, Moshood Abiola Way, Ibadan.

He said that the outcome of the medical examination revealed no organisms in the cerebrospinal fluids of the patients, adding that there has not been any loss of life in all the cases.

Meanwhile, he added that the suspicion of meningitis was strengthened on the ground that the patients had recently travelled to the northern part of the country where quite a number of cases has been confirmed.

According to him, “As such, the initially suspected cases cannot be considered as meningitis. We don’t confirm cases based on symptoms and signs; we confirm base on laboratory evidence because meningitis can be mimicked by a lot of other diseases. In Oyo state, there are no confirmed cases of cerebrospinal meningitis. So the people of the state should not panic”.

Adeduntan reiterated the commitment of the government towards ensuring a disease free Oyo State, adding that the state has put its facilities on high alert with the deployment of confirmatory resources as well as manpower to all facilities.

He urged the residents to uphold the hygienic practices of regular hand washing with soap and water, especially after changing diapers, using the toilet, coughing or blowing their nose, advising that anybody that is sick should seek medical attention.

 


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