Yobe State Commissioner of Health and Human Services, Dr. Mohammed Lawan Gana, has refuted rumors of a new disease causing fatalities in Potiskum and Nangere local government areas of the state.
Reacting to social media reports suggesting an outbreak of a new disease claiming the lives of about 200 youths within a short period, Gana assured that the state’s health infrastructure and surveillance mechanisms are fully operational. He emphasized that health experts have conducted thorough investigations to verify the authenticity of the claims but found no evidence of a new ailment beyond the known cases of Cerebrospinal meningitis type ‘C’, which the state has been addressing through vaccination campaigns and other interventions.
Gana explained that extensive efforts were made to validate the reports, including contacting local health teams, ward focal persons, and facility managers across the state’s 178 political wards. Additionally, the state’s robust surveillance structure, comprising disease surveillance officers and community health influencers, failed to detect any unusual health patterns or outbreaks.
Furthermore, Gana disclosed that since December of the previous year, Yobe State has been grappling with an outbreak of cerebrospinal meningitis type ‘C’, recording 2,510 cases, with 85 resulting in fatalities. However, investigations into the reported deaths revealed that delayed reporting or seeking medical assistance contributed to the fatalities, rather than a new disease strain.
In conclusion, Gana reiterated the state’s commitment to promptly address any health challenges and urged residents to remain vigilant while seeking prompt medical attention for any health concerns.
