Sokoto Meningitis Laboratory and Diagnostic Facilities

The Sokoto Meningitis Laboratory and Diagnostics facility was designed to serve as a first point of testing cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and blood samples collected from suspected meningitis patients, in order to provide a conclusive diagnosis which will lead to proper treatment.

Northern Nigeria lies within a region known as the meningitis belt. This area is so called, due to the high risk of bacterial meningitis epidemics occurring in the region. The epidemics affect hundreds of people and can be fatal if patients are not diagnosed and treated quickly.

To ensure proper treatment of meningitis cases, it is vital to have a quick and reliable diagnosis. Unfortunately, such diagnostic capabilities were not available in the region.

eHealth Africa constructed a modular Biosafety Level 2 (BSL 2) laboratory for conducting a variety of tests on cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and blood samples collected from suspected meningitis patients. These tests include Gram staining, cytology, microscopy, Pastorex agglutination tests (discontinued by WHO in 2019), microbial cultures, and strain serotyping. The laboratory is also capable of carrying out tests for other bacterial diseases such as typhoid and septicemia by isolating most bacteria and conducting antibiotic sensitivity tests on all isolated organisms. The laboratory is housed in a 40-ft shipping container allowing for mobility to locations with an active outbreak and diagnostics need. The Sokoto State government provided the site where the Lab is situated and also recruited two Medical Laboratory Scientists who were trained at the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Kano.

eHA currently manages the facility and coordinates lab operations and sample transportation from health facilities across local government areas in the Sokoto metropolis. Since the first few weeks of operation, the staff of the International Foundation Against Infectious Diseases in Nigeria (IFAIN), Abuja, have served to offer technical support to the Lab Scientists. IFAIN also provides some reagents, and laboratory machines including the Bactec 9050 for blood cultures. The World Health Organization through the State Ministry of Health (SMoH) provided Pastorex test kits and Lumbar Puncture (LP) kits. The Nigeria Center for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) provides testing materials for lumbar puncture and Trans-Isolate (TI) media.