The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has reported that diphtheria has sadly claimed the lives of at least 1,191 people across Nigeria since May 2023.
Muzzammil Gadanya, the Incident Manager of the National Diphtheria Emergency Operations Centre, shared this information during a meeting in Kaduna aimed at reviewing the response to the outbreak. He noted that there have been more than 38,000 suspected cases, with 23,000 confirmed cases.
During the meeting, Mr. Gadanya emphasized the need to assess Nigeria’s response strategies and improve coordination to prevent the disease from spreading further. He also mentioned a significant drop in diphtheria cases across the country.
Vaccines for diphtheria are available as part of routine immunization programs, and it’s crucial to keep working towards controlling the disease.
Manir Jega, the director of healthcare for the Nigeria Red Cross, highlighted the organization’s support for the government. “Since the outbreak of diphtheria, we have supported the government by sending 3,700 community-based volunteers, who also engaged in house-to-house sensitization,” he said. They have also organized roadshows to educate people about the signs and symptoms of diphtheria.
The meeting gathered various stakeholders, including the Red Cross and representatives from local health bodies, to evaluate current strategies and identify areas for improvement in combating the outbreak.
Participants stressed the importance of raising public awareness about vaccination and actively finding cases of the disease. The discussions aimed to strengthen Nigeria’s response to the diphtheria epidemic and ensure better preparedness for future outbreaks.
Key recommendations included expanding vaccination efforts, boosting public awareness campaigns, and implementing active contact tracing in affected areas to help reduce the diphtheria outbreak and improve overall health responses in the country.
