TheNewsGuru

Tag: Measles

  • 10 children die from suspected measles outbreak in FCT

    10 children die from suspected measles outbreak in FCT

    Ten children have died due to suspected measles outbreak in Damangaza community in Lokogoma District, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

    Mr James Budebo, Head of the Damangaza community, disclosed this during a one-day outreach programme on Friday in Abuja.

    The programme was organised by PHC Damangaza and the Vaccine Network for Disease Control (VNDC), a grassroots organisation dedicated to health interventions in underserved communities.

    Measles is a highly contagious viral infection characterised by fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes, and a distinctive rash.

    It can lead to serious complications such as pneumonia and encephalitis, especially in young children and those with weak immune systems.

    Budebo said vaccination was important in preventing measles and its complications, hence the need for widespread immunisation to protect the community.

    He said the recent deaths were due to the suspected measles outbreak, adding that there have been  challenges to vaccine acceptance within the community.

    Mrs Chika Offor, CEO of VNDC, said the one-day outreach programme was a crucial . to the health crisis in Damangaza.

    She said it was aimed at providing immediate assistance and laying the groundwork for long-term community resilience.

    Offor said efforts were on to promote vaccine accessibility and provide clear, accurate information to address community concerns and misconceptions.

    She said the  deaths due to measles were preventable, adding that the organisation was committed to supporting community dialogue on vaccination and public health measures.

    Ms Longtang Shawen, a Health Worker at PHC, Damangaza, said the outbreak exacerbated the community’s ongoing challenges with limited healthcare access.

    She said  education was  important in empowering the community about vaccine-preventable diseases, sanitation and hygiene.

    Shawen said vaccination was critical in preventing measles outbreaks, protecting individuals and ensuring community-wide immunity.

    She urged the residents of the community to accept vaccination to guard against such preventable diseases and protect the vulnerable populations.

    Chief Bello Musa, the Head of Damangaza Hausawa, said that the  Public Health Department, FCT, had been notified of the situation, with previous visits made two weeks ago.

    Responding, Dr Teresa Nwachukwu, FCT Epidemiologist, said in an interview that she would investigate the current situation.

    NAN recalls that data from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) revealed that Abia, Anambra, Jigawa, Edo, Lagos,and Bauchi accounted for a significant portion of reported measles cases by December 2023.

    As of December 2023, specific states such as Abia (46), Anambra (23), Jigawa (21), Edo (18), Lagos (17), and Bauchi (14) collectively accounted for 64.6% of the 215 suspected measles cases reported.

    Among these, 33 cases (15.4%) were confirmed, with no clinically compatible cases, while 43 cases (20%) were discarded and 139 cases (64.6%) were pending classification.

    During the period from January to December 2023, major contributors to the 19,470 suspected measles cases included Borno (7,635), Yobe (1,325), Ogun (611), and Zamfara (601), with Lagos also significant at 563 cases, making up 52.2 per cent of the total.

    Of these suspected cases, 11,433 (58.72%) were confirmed, comprising 1,861 lab-confirmed, 3,120 epi-linked, and 6,452 clinically compatible cases.

    The age group 9 – 59 months accounted for 7,317 (64%) of all confirmed cases.

    A total of 89 deaths (CFR = 1.1%) were reported among confirmed cases, with 8,380 (73%) of these cases being individuals who had not received any measles vaccine (‘zero dose’).

    By December 31, 2023, outbreaks were reported in 8 LGAs across 7 states, bringing the cumulative number of affected LGAs to 184 across 35 states for the year, with only FCT and Osun States not reporting any confirmed measles outbreaks,” it stated.

    NAN also reports that NCDC data underscore the need for vaccination campaigns and public health interventions to curb measles outbreaks across Nigeria.

  • Measles: Agency urges parents, caregivers to vaccinate children

    Measles: Agency urges parents, caregivers to vaccinate children

    The National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), has urged parents and caregivers to take their children to be vaccinated against measles, describing the disease as very dangerous.

    The Executive Director, NPHCDA, Dr Faisal Shuaib, told newsmen on Tuesday in Abuja that measles affects mostly children who are under five years and can lead to death.

    Newsmen reports measles is a childhood infection caused by a virus. Once quite common, measles can now almost always be prevented with a vaccine.

    Also called rubeola, measles spreads easily and can be serious and even fatal for small children.

    While death rates have been falling worldwide as more children receive the measles vaccine, the disease still kills more than 200,000 people a year, mostly children.

    Shuaib said that measles reduces children’s ability to fight other diseases, resulting in frequent illness.

    “Those at increased risk of contracting measles are children under five years who have not completed their Routine Immunization and those not vaccinated against measles.

    ”For your child to be fully protected against measles, it is important for nine months to five years of age for children to receive measles immunization.”

    The NPHCDA boss urged that parents and caregivers should ensure their child gets vaccinated against measles and yellow fever in the agency’s ongoing integrated campaign

    “Other childhood immunization and COVID-19 vaccines will also be administered at the mobile and fixed post,” Shuaib said.

    Newsmen recalls that measles symptoms don’t appear until 10 to 14 days after exposure.

    The symptoms include: Fever, dry cough, runny nose, sore throat and Inflamed eyes (conjunctivitis).

    Tiny white spots with bluish-white centres on a red background are found inside the mouth on the inner lining of the cheek, also called Koplik’s spots.

    The signs also include a skin rash made up of large, flat blotches that often flow into one another.

    The infection occurs in stages over two to three weeks. For the first 10 to 14 days after infection, the measles virus spreads in the body.

    There are no signs or symptoms of measles during this time.

    Measles typically begins with a mild to moderate fever, often with a persistent cough, a runny nose, inflamed eyes (conjunctivitis) and a sore throat.

    This relatively mild illness may last two to three days.

    The rash is made up of small red spots, some of which are slightly raised. Spots and bumps in tight clusters give the skin a blotchy red appearance.

    The face breaks out first, while over the next few days, the rash spreads down the arms, chest and back, then over the thighs, lower legs and feet.

    At the same time, the fever rises sharply, often as high as 104 to 105.8 F (40 to 41 C).

    The measles rash may last about seven days. The rash gradually fades first from the face and last from the thighs and feet.

    As other symptoms of the illness go away, the cough and darkening or peeling of the skin where the rash was may stay for about 10 days.

    A person with measles can spread the virus to others for about eight days, starting four days before the rash appears and ending when the rash has been present for four days.

  • Kogi dismisses reported outbreak of measles as misinformation

    Kogi dismisses reported outbreak of measles as misinformation

    The Commissioner for Health, Dr Zakari Usman, has debunked claims of a measles outbreak in Kogi, stating that media reports of an outbreak in Lokoja some three days back were outright misinformation.

    “The misinformation must have arisen from a measles sensitisation programme held the previous week by the state’s Primary Health Care Development Agency.

    “During the programme, the agency gave statistics of measles cases reported in the state since January.

    “It was a cumulative record of cases ever reported within the period of nine months – January to September.

    “As we speak, there is no active case of measles in the state,’’ Usman said.

    The commissioner implored residents of Kogi to disregard media reports of a purported outbreak of measles affecting 52 persons in the state.

    Usman assured that the ministry would continue to collaborate and interface with the media to keep the public properly informed about health issues in the state.

  • She died of measles – By Stephen Ojapah

    She died of measles – By Stephen Ojapah

    “If you give some of your own food to feed those who are hungry and to satisfy the needs of those who are humble, then your light will rise in the dark and your darkness will become as bright as the noonday sun” (Is 58: 10).

    We are entering the fourth week of Lent. For us Christians, Lent is anchored around the cardinal works of prayer, fasting and almsgiving. These important elements are necessary for the works of penance that we are engaged in. The important question in Isaiah 58:3-6 echoes to all Christians who fast: “’Why have we fasted,’ they say, ‘and you have not seen? Why have we afflicted our souls, and you take no notice?’ In fact, in the day of your fast you find pleasure, and exploit all your laborers. Indeed, you fast for strife and debate, and you strike with the fist of wickedness…. Is this the fast I have chosen, a day for a man to afflict his soul? Is this not the fast I have chosen, to loosen the bonds of wickedness, to undo the heavy burdens, to let the oppressed go free, and that you break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and that you bring to your house the poor who are cast out…?”

    For Isaiah, the works of mercy and compassion should be the utmost priority of a Christian in this sacred season. Love and compassion to the most vulnerable are values that no religion should ignore. Jesus’ entire ministry is centered around setting the captives and the poor free (Lk 4:18). Psalm 41:1 captures the blessings reserved for those who give service to the poor: “Blessed is the one who considers the poor; in the day of trouble the Lord delivers him.”

    The Prophet Amos, dedicated his entire ministry to the raising of the dignity of the poor. Mother Teresa of Calcutta spent her entire life in service to the poor of India. She always insisted on spending one full hour before the Blessed Sacrament before she began her day. In her words, “The poor are kings and our gateway to heaven; we need to spiritually prepare adequately to serve them.”

    As we approach the fourth week of Lent, it is important to evaluate our Penance in this season in the context of prayer, almsgiving and fasting. As I wrote in my earlier article, Let the Priests Lead in the Supplication, we engage this season in two ways: to lighten our souls from the burden of sin and to equip ourselves in the service of humanity. Service to humanity, especially the poor, should make a Christian restless. If among you, one of your brothers should become poor in any of your towns within your land that the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart or shut your hand against your poor brother (cf. Dt 15:7).

    The structure of this world is meant to always accommodate the poor, for they will always be among us; (cf. Dt 15:11). It is left for us to make them a source of blessing or a people to be despised. As I earlier noted, there will always be the poor among us. However, there is a big difference between poverty and destitution: poverty is the state of one who lacks a usual or socially acceptable amount of money or material possessions. Poverty is said to exist when people lack the means to satisfy their basic needs. In this context, the identification of poor people first requires a determination of what constitute basic needs. Destitution is poverty so extreme that one lacks the means to provide for oneself.

    This is exactly the situation in Nigeria right now, especially with the rise in kidnappings for ransom that has left thousands of families impoverished. In a little village in Sabuwar Kasa, Kafur Local government, in Katsina State, Kidnappers demanded for N50,000,000 (Fifty Million Naira) or one twenty thousand US dollars ($120, 000). Yes, you heard me, 50 million naira. These poor villagers sold every asset they have in this life to give to kidnappers. Destitution is what we face as a result of the mass sacking of the villagers and the total destruction of their houses and means of livelihood by Fulani terrorists in Kebbi State.

    From the 16th to the 18th of March, 2022, the Commission for Interreligious Dialogue for the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto in collaboration with the Dominican Sisters in Gusau, visited those displaced from their homes by Fulani Terrorists in Kebbi State, through the assistance of the Knights of St Columbus in Sacred Heart Parish Vidalia, Georgia USA. The sight of these displaced people sitting helplessly and their living conditions was so heart wrenching. In one of the camps we visited, in Ribah; there were about 720 children, 320 women, and 208 men no food, no sanitation, no water. The only hope of food those IDPs we met have is the daily rising sun. They narrated to us how the terrorists visited them in January in their village and killed over 30 people, kidnapped 40 persons and set the entire village on fire. Those who made it to safety escaped with nothing.

    While we were sharing food to the over 720 children and women, a three-year-old girl died of measles. Her death was very painful to many of us because measles is a sickness that a simple vaccination can cure. In a camp of that nature, there is so much grief already in the heart of everyone; the people have witnessed the deaths of so many of their friends and neighbors, and they are still mourning so many losses, so the death of a three-year-old was nothing to them. There was little or no show of pain in the heart of the mother. That is what destitution can do. For many in Nigeria, pain, loss, ransom for payment, have become very normal. And that is why, the death of the little girl was not an issue even for the parents. The camp was still busy with children playing as they took the little child for burial. As I watched the faces of those IDPs in the camps in Ribah, Zuru land, all I saw was a people humiliated by destitution.

    IDP camps are generally not taken care of by the government in Kebbi State. There are thousands who are squatting at the moment with families who can accommodate them. The government is not sending any form of assistance to those in the IDP camps. Diseases like measles will continue to kill children there because many of them don’t even have the means to go to the hospital. In Shimfida community of Jibia Local Government, of Katsina State there are over 9000 persons living in a camp. Those 9000 people do not enjoy any form of state support. We cannot even begin to count the number of people, both adult and children, who have died of diseases like measles and chicken pox.

    As we continue to do good in this season of Lent, let us equally remember the Internally Displaced, who have been humiliated by destitution and do something concrete to support them.

    Fr Stephen Ojapah is a priest of the Missionary Society of St Paul. He is equally the director for Interreligious Dialogue and Ecumenism for the Catholic Diocese of Sokoto, a member of IDFP. He is also a KAICIID Fellow. (omeizaojapah85@gmail.com)

  • 140,000 die in measles outbreaks

    More than 140,000 people worldwide have died from measles in 2018, according to new estimates from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United States Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC).

    These deaths occurred as measles cases surged globally, amidst devastating outbreaks in all regions.

    Most deaths were among children under 5 years of age. Babies and very young children are at greatest risk from measles infections, with potential complications including pneumonia and encephalitis (a swelling of the brain), as well as lifelong disability – permanent brain damage, blindness or hearing loss.

    Recently published evidence shows that contracting the measles virus can have further long-term health impacts, with the virus damaging the immune system’s memory for months or even years following infection.

    This ‘immune amnesia’ leaves survivors vulnerable to other potentially deadly diseases, like influenza or severe diarrhea, by harming the body’s immune defenses.

    “The fact that any child dies from a vaccine-preventable disease like measles is frankly an outrage and a collective failure to protect the world’s most vulnerable children,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreysus, Director-General of the World Health Organization.

    “To save lives, we must ensure everyone can benefit from vaccines – which means investing in immunization and quality health care as a right for all”, he maintained.

    Measles is preventable through vaccination. However, vaccination rates globally have stagnated for almost a decade. WHO and UNICEF estimate that 86% of children globally received the first dose of measles vaccine through their country’s routine vaccination services in 2018, and fewer than 70% received the second recommended dose.

    In 2018, the most affected countries – the countries with the highest incidence rate of the disease – were Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Liberia, Madagascar, Somalia and Ukraine. These five countries accounted for almost half of all measles cases worldwide.

    “We’ve had a safe and effective measles vaccine for over 50 years. These estimates remind us that every child, everywhere needs – and deserves – this life-saving vaccine. We must turn this trend around and stop these preventable deaths by improving measles vaccine access and coverage”, said Dr. Robert Linkins, Branch Chief of Accelerated Disease Control and Vaccine Preventable Disease Surveillance at the CDC and Chair of the Measles & Rubella Initiative.

  • Measles outbreak: Samoa on lockdown for two-day vaccination campaign

    Samoa started a door-to-door vaccination campaign on Thursday in response to a measles outbreak that has claimed 62 lives so far.

    A two-day shutdown of public services, commerce and road networks came into force, with private vehicles banned from roads for much of the day, Radio New Zealand (RNZ) reported.

    As of Thursday, 4,217 cases of measles had been reported, the government of Samoa said in a Facebook post.

    Officials had asked unvaccinated residents to hang red flags outside their homes to help the campaign.

    Some 70 healthcare professionals arrived on the tiny Pacific island from the U.S. state of Hawaii, with the World Health Organisation and USAID helping to coordinate, Samoa’s government said.

    Samoan Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Malielegaoi said most of the villages in outlying communities were reached on the first day, and on Friday the focus would move to more populated cities and surrounding areas.

    The government said in a statement posted to Facebook late on Thursday that 100 teams had scattered across Upolu, one of the two main islands, throughout the day with the aim to administer 10,000 doses.

    They did not update what target was reached, but cited the most recent data from Wednesday, saying so far 71 per cent of Samoa’s population had been vaccinated so far.

    The prime minister said he would not settle for an immunisation coverage of less than 90 per cent.

    According to RNZ, the measles outbreak in the Pacific is believed to have originated in New Zealand, but has now affected other countries, including in Fiji and Tonga.

    Samoa has been hit the hardest due to low vaccination rates, which ranged between 28 and 40 per cent when the outbreak started in mid-November, according to UNICEF.

  • Anambra Govt approves N27.4m for measles vaccination

    The Anambra Government says it has approved the release of N27.4 million for the 2018 measles vaccination campaign.

    The Head of Department, Immunisation and Disease Control, Anambra State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr Nnamdi Uliagbafusi, disclosed this to newsmen on Thursday in Awka.

    Uliagbafusi explained that the briefing was part of preparation for the forthcoming measles vaccination campaign in the state.

    “The campaign would run from March 8 to March 13 in Anambra Central and South Senatorial zones, while Anambra North zone would run from March 15 to March 20,’’ he said.

    The official said the exercise was to boost immunity of children from nine to 59 months against measles.

    “The campaign is also for children not immunised in their ninth month.

    “Children can still be given the vaccine, irrespective of the one given to them in their ninth month,’’ he explained.

    Uliagbafusi said that measles was a viral infectious illness that was common in children and could lead to blindness, deafness or even brain damage.

    He urged mothers and caregivers to take their children to the nearest immunisation posts for vaccination, pointing out that cards will be issued and kept properly for future use.

    He said that the vaccines could be administered through injection.

    Uliagbafusi re-assured that the personnel to carry out the exercise would be certified, emphasising that the vaccines would be safe, free and effective.

    He commended Gov. Willie Obiano for his support at ensuring that Anambra children would be in good health.

    Recalling the negative effects generated by the monkey pox rumour last year, he also urged the media to assist in disseminating the information to defuse unwarranted tension.

    He however appealed for further support in the area of public enlightenment.

    The UNICEF Consultants, Messrs Amedu Shaibu and Peter Onyekachi, said a robust strategy would be used for campaign.

    According to the duo, the places include fixed posts in Public Health facilities, missions, some private health facilities and temporary fixed posts like schools, churches, markets and mosques.

    The state Coordinator, World Health Organisation (WHO), Dr Willy Onuorah, said the interest of the organisation was to ensure that no child was omitted during the exercise.

    “We are not carrying out the campaign because we have enough money to spend or enough drugs to dispense, but our campaign is based on evidence,’’ he said.

    He described vaccination as the most effective way of tackling diseases among children.

    “The vaccine is 99 per cent safe, without vaccination, 25 per cent of the children will be prone to measles,’’ he said.

     

  • Gov. Okowa tasks FG to implement National Health Act

    Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa has called on the Federal Government to implement the National Health Act to reduce the country’s dependence on counterpart fund from foreign donors.

    Governor Okowa made the call on Wednesday during the flag off of the 2018 measles vaccination campaign at Oleh, Isoko South local government area of Delta State.

    “I wish to make a special appeal to the Federal Government, to implement the National Health Act that was signed into law since December, 2014, a clause in that Act provides for what we call the Basic Health Care Fund because,” the Governor said.

    He disclosed “as at today, we are depending more and more on our development partners to provide money for vaccines generally and I know that there has been a lot of caution and warning that the funds available are dwindling and Nigeria needs to begin to make arrangements for its own vaccines purchase.

    “The Basic Health-care Fund which is at least 1 per cent of the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federal Government, is supposed to have counterpart funding from states and local governments and to be administered partially by the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency and also by the state through the state Primary Healthcare Development Agency and Local Government Health Authority.”

    “We need to activate that particular clause so that we can make provisions for vaccines and also have the opportunity to train and retrain our health workers, it is well thought out and I feel very passionate about it because, while I was in the Senate, I drove that Bill to success and I feel pained that we have not still activated that clause.

    “It is my hope that in the cause of this year, 2018, we will activate that clause and also put pressure on different states and local governments to provide the counterpart fund because, we must continue to plan for the future of our children; yes, it is important that we are supported, but, we cannot continue to rely completely on the support we get from outside the country.

    “The health of all Deltans including vulnerable groups such as children, aged under five, pregnant women and widows, is very important to the Delta State Government and as such, policies and programmes that impact positively on the health and wellbeing of residents of the State are formulated and implemented based on our commitment to ensure that our people should be healthy at all times”.

    The Governor described measles as a critical childhood disease which can cause blindness, deafness and death.

    He urged all stakeholders including influential community groups, traditional, opinion and religious leader, to collaborate in an efficient manner to children from measles and other childhood diseases.

    “I specifically ask parents and guardians to use this opportunity to vaccinate children between ages 9 to 59 months at the nearest health facility or vaccination post irrespective of their current vaccination status,” Governor Okowa who used the occasion to thank development partners – UNICEF, WHO, National Primary Health Care Development Agency, CDC-AFENET and other well-meaning groups for their various contributions to the success of health campaign and general well-being of children and mothers in the State said.

     

  • C/River Govt. inaugurates 2018 measles immunisation campaign

    Cross River government on Wednesday, inaugurated the 2018, two-weeks measles immunisation campaign for children between 9 months and five years across the state.

    The State Deputy Governor, Prof. Ivara Esu, who inaugurated the exercise in Calabar, assured the people that the state would achieve 100 per cent coverage across in its 18 local government areas.

    Esu explained that the immunisation would prevent children from untimely death and other serious lifelong complications associated with the viral diseases.

    He said that the state had not failed to release its counterpart funding for measles campaign and other immunisation activities because of the need to enhance community protection against diseases.

    The deputy governor called on stakeholders to play their key role in ensure vaccination of every child in the state.

    “Cross River is very passionate about this exercise and we want nothing less than 100 per cent success.

    “We want to ensure that all the hard-to-reach areas are adequately covered within this first phase of the campaign,’’ he said.

    Dr Inyang Asibong, the Commissioner for Health, also called on stakeholders and community heads to join hands with the state government through mass mobilisation of children for the exercise to make it a success.

    Dr Betta Edu, Director-General, Cross River Primary Healthcare Development Agency, said that the target was to get every child between 9 and 59 months vaccinated across the state.

    She thanked Gov. Prof. Ben Ayade for his support which she said had enabled the agency to reach out to hard-to-reach areas where most of the asylum seekers, mostly children, were settled.

    “This is the time to protect every child from mortality associated with measles and every other complications like blindness and deafness,’’ she said.

    Dr Tom Igbu, Head of World Health Organisation (WHO) in the state, who spoke on behalf of development partners said the story of health in Cross River had improved due to the premium the state government placed on the sector.

     

  • Kebbi confirms 656 fresh cases of Measles outbreak

    The Kebbi Government on Friday said it had recorded 656 suspected cases of measles in 21 local government areas of the state.

    The Executive Secretary, State Primary Health Care and Development Agency, Dr Mannir Jega, who described the figure as alarming, said it was largely due to refusal of residents to go for routine immunisation.

    The executive secretary said at a news briefing in Birnin Kebbi, that the state had recorded poor coverage due to low turnout for routine immunizations in previous campaigns in 2016.

    “We have 656 Measles cases in the 21 LGAs in the state, out of which 77 cases had been confirmed in 12 LGAs and the victims were treated and discharged,” he said.

    The Commissioner for Health, Alhaji Usman Kambaza, revealed that 1,131 vaccination teams would be deployed to undertake immunisation to counter the upsurge of measles cases across the state.

    “To counter this, the state is planning measles campaign with the support of the National Primary Health Care and Development Agency and other partners.

    “The campaign is expected to start on Sept. 26, and about 898,174 children are expected to be vaccinated.

    “The vaccination is for all children from 9 months to 5 years irrespective of vaccination status,” he said.

    Kambaza explained that vaccinators would be stationed at specific locations closed to residences in all the 225 wards in the state, adding that “no caregiver will travel more than one kilometre to get their children vaccinated.”

    The commissioner urged the media, traditional and religious leaders, and other stakeholders to join in mobilizing women and caregivers to come out en-mass for the measles immunisation.

     

     

    NAN