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130 LGAs Records Outbreak of Meningitis, Kills 183

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Nigeria has reported a total of 287 confirmed cases out of 2,707 suspected cases of meningitis, including 183 deaths, with a case-fatality ratio of 6.8 per cent.

Their cases were reported from 130 Local Government Areas in 24 states, including the Federal Capital Territory in Nigeria from From October 2022, to July 2, 2023.

This is according to the epidemiology situation of the disease released by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention.

Meningitis is a serious infection of the meninges, the membranes covering the brain and spinal cord. It is a devastating disease and remains a major public health challenge. The disease can be caused by many different pathogens including bacteria, fungi or viruses, but the highest global burden is seen with bacterial meningitis.

Several different bacteria can cause meningitis. Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, and Neisseria meningitidis are the most frequent ones. N. meningitidis, causing meningococcal meningitis, is the one with the potential to produce large epidemics.

Meningococcal meningitis is transmitted from person to person through droplets of respiratory and throat secretions, usually by asymptomatic carriers. Close, prolonged contact with an infected person, or living with a carrier, facilitates the spread of the disease. The average incubation period is four days but can range between two and 10 days.

Abia, Adamawa, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Delta, Ebonyi, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Niger, Oyo, Plateau, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe and Zamfara states reported the suspected CSM cases.

The report partly read that as of July 2, “A total of 2,707 suspected cases including 183 deaths have been reported from 24 states in this 2022/2023 CSM season. A total of 667 samples collected (25 per cent) from 2,707 suspected cases from beginning of the outbreak, and 298 confirmed (45 per cent positivity rate).

“The five to 14-year-old age group was the most affected. 54 per cent of the total suspected cases were Males. 98 per cent of all suspected cases were from six (10) states – Jigawa (1508 cases), Yobe (654 cases), Katsina (177 cases), Bauchi (123 cases), Zamfara (53 cases), Adamawa (45 cases), Gombe (26 cases), Kano (10 cases) and Sokoto (10 cases).

“Nineteen LGAs across five states, Jigawa (10), Katsina (4), Yobe (2), Bauchi (2) and Zamfara (1), reported more than 20 cases each this 2022/2023 CSM season.”

The NCDC, however, said it will continue to support affected states with essential response commodities.

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JUST IN: Ogun confirms Lassa fever outbreak as NYSC member dies

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A 25-year-old member of the National Youth Service Corp (NYSC), has reportedly died of Lassa fever at a secondary health facility in ljebu North Local Government Area of Ogun State.

It wwas learnt that the female corp member who fell sick while in Ondo State, was brought to the health facility last Tuesday and later died same day.

This was contained in a statement signed by the Commissioner for Health, Tomi Coker, on Wednesday.

Coker also confirmed the outbreak of Lassa fever in the state.

The statement reads, “Ogun State has confirmed a case of Lassa Fever and as such declared Lassa fever outbreak.

“The index case is a 25-year-old female National Youth Corp member who fell sick while in Ondo State and was brought to on of our secondary health facility in ljebu North LGA on 18th March 2025 and later died same day.

“ Lassa fever is a viral Haemorrhagic disease that presents with High grade fever, Headache, General body weakness, Sore throat, Muscle pain, Cough, Nausea, Vomiting, Diarrhoea, Chest pain and Unexplained bleeding from the ears, eyes, nose, mouth and other body openings.

”Coker urged members of the community to report to the hospital if any of the listed symptoms is noticed.

“We implore members of the community to promptly report to the hospital if they notice any of these symptoms.

Any case of febrile illness that has not responded to 48 hours use of anti-malaria or antibiotics should raise an index of suspicion for Lassa fever!

“We implore all Health facilities in Ogun State, public and private, to step up Infection Prevention and Control measures and to encourage compliance by all health facility staff.“

Healthcare worker that suspects Lassa fever in a patient, are advised to call their local government disease surveillance and notification officer (LGA DSNO) whose numbers are placed in our health facilities or call State Disease surveillance and Notification Officer (0703-421-4893) or State Epidemiologist (0808-425-0881),” she added.

The commissioner, however reiterated the Governor Dapo Abiodun-led administration’s dedication to protecting the health of the citizens through continuous surveillance and prompt response to infectious diseases.

She added that the ministry in collaboration with the Rapid Response Team at ljebu North East is keeping the situation under control with enhanced surveillance and community engagement and mobilization for effective response.

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JUST IN: NAFDAC goes digital in fight against fake pharmaceutical products

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The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, has gone digital in its efforts to rid the country of substandard and falsified pharmaceutical products.

During a two-day workshop and training session in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, on Wednesday, NAFDAC introduced an app, Greenbook, an online platform for identifying the source of a product.

The Greenbook allows consumers to enter the product name, brand name, or registration number to search for information about its registration status.

If the product is listed in the Greenbook, it signifies that it has been registered by NAFDAC and is considered authentic.

The app serves as a tool to help consumers identify and avoid potentially fake or substandard products.

The Director-General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, speaking at the workshop in Port Harcourt, stated that these fake products are “produced by our greedy businessmen and their international collaborators to get rich or make money,” describing it as the worst form of inhumanity of man to his fellow men.

Prof. Adeyeye, who was represented by the Director of the Post-Marketing Surveillance Directorate, NAFDAC, Fraden Bitrus, noted that the agency has, over the years, deployed various measures to combat falsified products.

She expressed concern that counterfeiters have adopted increasingly sophisticated methods to advance their trade but assured that NAFDAC “is poised to use technologies and modern means to mitigate the activities of counterfeiters, hence the need for stakeholder sensitisation.”

She added that the workshop aims to educate stakeholders and provide hands-on training on the NAFDAC Greenbook, the Traceability Regulation 2024, and the Paediatric Regulation 2024, ensuring that both the regulator and the regulated are aligned in the fight against substandard and falsified medical products.

Prof. Adeyeye revealed that the project is being implemented in phases, initially used for COVID-19 vaccine distribution as a pilot project, which yielded highly effective results.

She noted, “Within 24 hours, batches of substandard or defective vaccines distributed in the country were traced and recalled.”

She further stated, “We have implemented it for commodities in public health, such as antimalarial and narcotic products.

Over time, we will extend it to other products. Please note that with this technology, stakeholders can detect and reject SF products before they enter the supply chain.”

She called on all stakeholders in the healthcare sector to support these initiatives to combat fake products and ensure the availability of quality, safe, and efficacious medical products for the people of Nigeria.

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IPOB to NAFDAC: Return seized goods from Onitsha drug market

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The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has called on the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) to return goods seized from traders at Ogbo Ogwu Drug Market in Onitsha, Anambra State.

In a statement issued by IPOB’s Media and Publicity Secretary, Comrade Emma Powerful, the group alleged that NAFDAC officials conducted a midnight raid on the market, blocking CCTV cameras, breaking into shops, and confiscating goods under the claim of targeting fake drugs.

IPOB criticized the method of the operation, questioning the agency’s approach and transparency.

While IPOB reaffirmed its stance against the sale of counterfeit drugs, it raised concerns over the alleged seizure of traders’ goods in their absence, the blocking of surveillance cameras, and the lack of evidence proving that all confiscated products were counterfeit.

The group posed several questions to NAFDAC, including: Why was the operation conducted at midnight? Why were CCTV cameras blocked?

Where is the evidence that the confiscated drugs were fake? Why was the entire market sealed, affecting both innocent and guilty traders?

IPOB urged NAFDAC to adopt a more professional and transparent approach to combating fake drugs, suggesting that the agency establish permanent offices in drug markets to ensure proper regulation rather than conducting surprise raids.

The statement also called for collaboration between NAFDAC and the Anambra State Government to relocate the drug market to the new Oba Drug Market, ensuring that only licensed and certified dealers are allowed to operate.

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