To prevent the spread of yellow fever and deaths of many, the Bauchi State government says it will embark on vaccination across the 20 local government areas of the state.
The Executive Chairman of Bauchi State Primary Health Care Development Agency (BASPHCDA), Dr Rilwanu Mohammed, told journalists on Monday that yellow fever outbreak has claimed the lives of eight persons while eight others were under management in Ganjuea Local Government Area of Bauchi State.
Mohammed said investigation into mysterious deaths in the area led to the discovery of the outbreak of the disease.
“Recently, mysterious deaths of people were reported in some villages in two wards of Ganjuwa LGA. Immediately our surveillance team moved in and took samples of the victims and it was confirmed that they were yellow fever positive,” the BASPHCDA chairman had said.
Reacting to the development, Dr. Aliyu Mai-Goro, the state Commissioner for Health, expressed dismay over the development.
Mai-Goro at a roundtable training on child spacing organised by the Bauchi State Public Health Media Network in Bauchi on Wednesday, assured the commitment and readiness of the state Ministry of Health to eradicate the disease in the area.
He said that in order to curtail the spread of the disease in the State, his ministry would soon embark on yellow fever vaccination in all local government areas of the State.
The commissioner said the State government had procured large quantities of yellow fever vaccines for vaccination of people across the State.
He then appealed to parents and guardians to release their children and wards for vaccination to curb the spread of the disease, adding that both traditional rulers and community leaders should sensitise their subjects on the need to embrace vaccination and clean the environment for their own good.
