Vaccine shortage threatens anti-meningitis' drive
By Chukwuma Muanya
THE Minister of Health, Prof. Babatunde Osotimehin, has raised an alarm on the danger the recent outbreak of Lassa fever poses to health workers. Osotimehin has also lamented the shortage of vaccines for the control of the recent Cerebro Spinal Meningitis (CSM) epidemic that has killed over 333 persons and affected 5,323 others.
Osotimehin said in a statement on the recent Lassa fever outbreak that: "Since the beginning of this year, there has been an upsurge in the reported cases of Lassa fever especially in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and its environs. Within the last two weeks, we have recorded 12 cases with five deaths. Much more worrisome is the danger that the outbreak poses to health workers. Four health staff working in the National Hospital, Abuja who were taking care of one of the Lassa fever cases have also fallen ill and the laboratory investigations have confirmed they are infected with the Lassa virus."
The minister said the health workers were tested positive for the Lassa virus and were on Ribarivin treatment at the National Hospital, Abuja.
"About 25 contacts in all were found to be positive with the Lassa virus from laboratory investigations but did not come down with the disease. They are however on prophylaxis treatment with Ribavirin tablets," he explained.
He said the challenge faced by the Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) in the control of the CSM epidemic was its "inability to rapidly access significant quantities of vaccines to mount a large scale mass vaccination campaign in the affected areas. This is because of the global shortage of vaccines and the large number of countries in the meningitis belt all competing for this limited number of CSM vaccines."
"We convened an advocacy meeting with all state Commissioners for Health from the 26 'CSM at risk states' on the way forward to control the epidemic.
"Simultaneously, we constituted an Expanded National Epidemic Preparedness and Response (EPR) Committee which is multi-sectoral and multidisciplinary involving the Ministry of Information and the media and also involves honourable commissioners for health from eight states and FCT representing all the states. The states were also urged to constitute their own EPR committees and Rapid Response Teams (RRTs)
"We provided Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and other guidelines for meningitis management have been sent to all the 26 states at risk of CSM outbreak. This will make sure that clinicians are given the appropriate and correct management to the cases in a timely and efficient manner.
"Our development partners, particularly WHO, UNICEF and MSF, have also provided support for the control of the outbreak which includes laboratory reagents and consumables which have assisted the states in confirming the cases of CSM.
"The ministry and partners undertook laboratory assessment in the 26 'CSM at risk states' to ascertain their ability to respond to CSM outbreak," the minister said.
On the interventions made so far on the Lassa fever outbreak, Osotimehin said the ministry had immediately supplied and distributed Ribavirin (the specific antiviral drug for Lassa fever) in adequate quantities to the FCT Health Department and in all places where the disease had been recorded. "This is to enable adequate treatment of cases and contacts with the virus," he said.
He further stated: "The ministry has also distributed Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to ensure protection and minimise contacts. The ministry has further ordered more supplies of Ribavirin in both injectable and tablet forms.
"In collaboration with the FCT Health Department and the National Hospital, the ministry has conducted a clinicians' sensitisation meeting with public and private health facilities to ensure improved awareness among the health workers for early case detection and prompt management. An advisory has been sent to all states' ministries of health to also undertake the above."
