​Yellow fever hits 1,558 in 8 states

Suspected cases of Yellow Fever in Nigeria, on Saturday, rose to 1,558 cases with 46 confirmed cases in 481 Local Government areas, LGAs.

The 46 confirmed cases were reported from 14 LGAs across eight states of Bauchi 8; Benue 3; Delta 8; Ebonyi 1; Edo 5; Ekiti 1; Enugu 19 and Oyo 1.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, who is currently responding to clusters of Yellow Fever outbreaks in Delta, Enugu, Bauchi, and Benue States in its report latest report disclosed that from the clusters of outbreaks in Delta, Enugu, Bauchi and Benue; 20 new confirmed cases were reported:

According to NCD’s YF Weekly situation report, 14 were reported in Enugu, Benue 3, Delta 2, Ebonyi 1.

Also, 4 new Local Government Areas, LGAs , across three states reported confirmed cases: Benue 1; Enugu 2; Ebonyi 1 and 2 new deaths among confirmed cases were reported. “Cumulatively from epi-week 24 – 46:

A total of 39 confirmed cases have been reported from 7 LGAs across five states. A total of six deaths were recorded among the confirmed cases with a Case Fatality Rate, CFR of 15 percent.

Giving a summary of cases so far, the report states: “Cumulatively, across Nigeria, in 2020 from Epi-Week 01 – 46: A total of 1,558 suspected cases and 46 confirmed cases have been reported from 481, 62 percent, LGAs across all states and FCT.

” Laboratory results in-country: 37 confirmed with PCR; 30 presumptive positive; 11 inconclusive; 1,481 negative; 31 pending testing.

“Laboratory results from IP Dakar: Of the 41 samples sent, 8, 19.5 percent, were confirmed, 2, 4.9 percent, discarded and 31, 75.6 percent, pending.

The NCDC and National Primary Healthcare Development Agency, NPHCDA, are coordinating response activities through the national Yello Fever EOC, in collaboration with states and partners.

There are ongoing reactive mass vaccination campaigns in Bauchi, Delta and Enugu States with Benue scheduled to start a preventive mass vaccination campaign, PMVC, on the 20th of November 2020.

Every Nigerian has Right to Food – CS-SUNN

The Civil Society Scaling-Up Nutrition in Nigeria, (CS-SUNN), has called for proper implementation  of the National Food and Nutrition Policy and National Plan of Action for Food and Nutrition  to ensure all Nigerians have Right to Food.

The Senior Monitoring and Evaluation Officer of   CS-SUNN  Mrs  Jayne Arinze-Egemonye,
stated this during a 5-Day capacity building of Civil Society Organizations CSOs, Community Base Organizations CBOs and Media on BMS Code, Right to Food, Maternity Protection and Food fortification training held in Kaduna North West

She said despite the country been signatory to many Intervention convention on the Right of Food  Malnutrition is still widespread in the entire country and rural areas.

She added that even though the Constitution of the country makes Provision for Right of Food  for all,the poor and  vulnerable  are still exposed to chronic food shortages, malnutrition, unbalanced nutrition, erratic food supply, poor quality foods, high food costs, and even total lack of food.

Jayne further said the enormous amount of money spent in attempting to assure the food security of Nigerians without success is worrisome.

She called for review of the past approaches and achievements to see what lessons can be learned to re-strategize and develop an approach that will ensure that every Nigerian have Right of Food as enshrined in the Constitution.

According to her the enormous amount of money spent in attempting to assure the food security of Nigerians without success calls for a fundamental review of the past approaches and achievements to see what lessons can be learned to re-strategize and develop an approach that will ensure that better progress is made toward achieving the first Millennium Development Goal.

She expressed dismay that there is is a high level of malnutrition among children in kaduna state despite the state been agerian .

She tasked participants at the training to ensure that enable  socioeconomic and political environment  are createdat the national and subnational level is  for food security, since it influences food availability, stability of food supplies, and access to food, which in turn influence the amount of food consumed.

” This gap needs to be filled to make progress in changing the food and nutrition security situation of rural dwellers in  kaduna state.

” You as stakeholders must Identified gaps in knowledge include the issue of mainstreaming nutrition considerations and activities into poverty reduction, agricultural development policies, and food security interventions.

“There is a need to understand and appreciate the distinctness of nutrition and prioritize its appropriate integration into all sectors and departments working on food security in Nigeria.” She said.