By Admin
Alarmed by a diphtheria outbreak affecting children in parts of Katsina and Kano states, the Federal Government has activated an emergency multi-agency task force and deployed 500,000 doses of vaccines to contain the spread.
The intervention, ordered by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, also includes the establishment of treatment annexes across Katsina State and the urgent deployment of drugs, Diphtheria Antitoxin (DAT), medical personnel and protective equipment to the Federal Teaching Hospital, Katsina.
The government said the measures were designed to close immunisation gaps, strengthen disease surveillance and ensure that infected children receive early treatment.
The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, working with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), the affected states and international health partners, constituted the task force to coordinate the emergency response.
The task force will be co-chaired by the Director-General of NCDC and the Director of Public Health, with members drawn from NPHCDA; the commissioners for health of Katsina, Kano, Zamfara and Sokoto states; the World Health Organisation (WHO); UNICEF; and the National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control Programme in Katsina State. The Ministry’s Chief Epidemiologist will serve as secretary.
Under the containment strategy, health authorities will intensify outbreak investigations, strengthen surveillance and step up community mobilisation to identify and vaccinate unprotected children in affected and high-risk communities.
The NPHCDA has already deployed 500,000 doses of vaccines to Katsina and Kano states to support intensified immunisation activities.
The Federal Government is also working with the Katsina State Government to establish treatment annexes in hospitals across the state’s three senatorial districts — Katsina, Daura and Funtua.
The government says the move is expected to bring treatment closer to affected communities and facilitate early intervention for children who develop symptoms.
Emergency support is also being mobilised to the Federal Teaching Hospital, Katsina, the principal referral centre for the state and parts of neighbouring states. The facility is to receive Diphtheria Antitoxin, intravenous antibiotics, additional clinical personnel and personal protective equipment for healthcare workers.
The task force has been directed to provide weekly updates to the Coordinating Minister on progress, emerging challenges and additional resource requirements. Bottlenecks identified during the response are to be escalated for immediate resolution.
Diphtheria is a serious vaccine-preventable bacterial infection that can cause severe complications and death, particularly among unvaccinated or inadequately vaccinated children.
The Federal Government said the latest intervention underscored its commitment to protecting children against vaccine-preventable diseases and strengthening Nigeria’s ability to detect and respond rapidly to disease outbreaks.
It pledged to sustain a coordinated and evidence-based response until the outbreak is brought under control.
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