In a bid to stall the spread of some cases of meningitis witnessed in the past few weeks, Katsina State Government has drawn up strategic plans to serve as road map to drive the vision, the Deputy Governor of the state, Alhaji Mannir Yakubu, has said.
Yakubu, who is also the chairman of the State Taskforce on Immunization and Polio Eradication, revealed this in his remarks during its 41st meeting held in Katsina.
His words: “The government is coordinating with development partners in delivering interventions to the affected communities. These include case management and treatment at health facility levels; two-way referral to secondary health facilities; preposition of antibiotics and medical supplies at focal health facilities in the affected local government areas.”
He added that the government was out to decisively prevent outbreak of meningitis in other areas through “distribution of IEC materials at health facilities; statewide radio alert on CSM outbreak; phone in programmes; community sensitization and case notification using traditional, religious structures, VCM Network and field volunteers in the affected communities.”
The Deputy Governor further explained that plan was underway to secure meningitis vaccines for contact immunization to reduce further spread. On polio eradication, he confirmed that the state had distributed about 2,970,000 doses of oral polio vaccines to the 34 local government areas in Katsina for this weekend round of immunization.
“All necessary steps that will lead to quality round in the Immunization Plus Days (IDPs) are being taken so as to sustain the gains and success so far achieved,” said Yukubu while appreciating the efforts and contributions of members of the committee for the success recorded so far in polio eradication in the state.
To ensure Katsina remains polio free, he said, the government is committed to providing all the necessary support, noting that the intensification of routine immunization would be prioritized, while challenges imitating against successful immunization campaigns would be tackled.
He stated: “We are also trying to revitalize all our Primary Health Centres with required infrastructure, equipment and manpower with a view to making them functional because that is where routine immunization can actually be carried out successfully.”