The Federal Government has directed all federal medical facilities and primary health care centres to begin treating cases of meningitis free of charge.

Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole who made this disclosure in a statement yesterday, said that the outbreak of cerebral spinal meningitis since November 2016 had killed 328 persons.

He said Nigerians especially residents of Katsina, Kano, Kebbi, Sokoto, Niger, Zamfara and Jigawa states should seek early attention, when faced with symptoms of Cerebrospinal Meningitis (CSM).

He also urged them to avoid clogging together in unventilated and over-crowded rooms, adding that the present outbreak would be contained.

He said the government was in discussion with the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, E-health Africa and other international health agencies for supplies of vaccines and injections.

He added that 500,000 doses of the meningococcal vaccines have been secured from WHO and would be used in Zamfara and Katsina states, while additional 800,000 units were expected from the British Government.