Health

The Gombe Government has earmarked N3 million for the purchase of drugs needed for the treatment of Cerebral Spinal Meningitis (CSM) in case of outbreak in the state.

Dr Kennedy Ishaya, the state Commissioner for Health, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Gombe on Thursday.

Ishaya told NAN that the disease usually presents symptoms such as acute inflammation of the protective membrane covering the brain and spinal cord.

NAN also reports that the most common symptoms of the disease are fever, headache and neck stiffness.

The commissioner said the money earmarked would be used for the purchase of drugs, chemicals for fumigation, hand gloves, antiseptic and all medical accessories required for the treatment of the disease.

According to him, the period of heat usually comes with CSM and other airborne diseases, which are equally dangerous hence the need for proactive measures.

“Although we have not recorded any CSM case in Gombe but we want to take precautionary measures to curtail it in case of any reported case or outbreak.”

The commissioner, who emphasized the need for personal hygiene as a preventative measure, called on the general public to avoid sleeping in overcrowded environment.

“I am calling on the general public to avoid sleeping in an environment that is overcrowded without ventilation.

“Particularly those in Tsangaya (Islamiyya schools) there is the need for their teachers to decongest the environment, pave a way for ventilation,” he advised.

Ishaya also called on those traveling to Northwest and North Central parts of the country, particularly states where there were recorded cases of the disease, to find out more about such places before traveling.