In an emergency meeting of the northern traditional council and the 19 northern state governors on Tuesday 11th April 2017, in Kaduna, Issac Adewole, the Minister of Health, disclosed that the federal government needs approximately $1.087 billion to procure vaccines and administer to over 21 million residences in the most affected states of Zamfara, Sokoto, Kebbi, Niger and Katsina.

The Nigerian populace has had serious health scares within a short while, from the Ebola outbreak and Lassa fever endemic in 2015 to the now meningitis outbreak that occurred February in five Northern states.

Mr Isaac, still while addressing the meeting, said that “the outbreak has occurred in 26 states so far but the five aforementioned states were the most affected, and 489 deaths had been confirmed in the 4,637 cases recorded as at April 10.”

He further appealed to the traditional rulers to be more proactive with the media to help sensitise people on the need for good hygiene and proper ventilation.

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