NYSC To Immunise 4,500 Corps Members Against Meningitis

The National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) says it is collaborating with the Sokoto State Ministry of Health to immunise more than 4,500 corps members.

The Coordinator of the scheme in the state, Alhaji Musa Abubakar, announced this on Saturday in Sokoto.

He said the action was sequel to the recent outbreak of meningitis in some parts of the state.

”We had already written to the ministry to make the vaccine for the type ”C” strain of meningitis available for the exercise.

”The response was positive and they will soon be made available and the exercise is expected to begin soon,” he said.

Abubakar further stated that the members of staff of the scheme and their families would be covered during the exercise.

The coordinator also stated that the scheme had fully mobilised all its medical personnel for an ongoing massive sensitisation of the corps community in the state.

”We have corps medical doctors, pharmacists, nurses, medical Laboratory scientists and other related professionals.

”This is to complement the efforts of this state and Federal Government in the efforts to combat the meningitis epidemic,” he said.

Dr Balarabe Kakale, the state commissioner for health, had recently put the meningitis-related death toll in the state at 41.

He, nonetheless, said that the situation had been brought under relative control and most of the isolation camps had been closed across the state.