From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), on Thursday, confirmed that diphtheria is gradually being defeated with the deployment of massive vaccination across the affected states, particularly the five states, notably, Borno, Yobe, Jigawa, Kano, and Kaduna, that accounted for more than 90 per cent of the suspected cases.
NPHCDA Executive Director, Dr. Faisal Shuaib, told journalists at a joint press conference with the Director General of Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Dr. Ifedayo Adetifa, in Abuja, on Thursday, that the expected result is being received from across the states, though admitting that more work is still required to totally defeat the disease.
He said that diphtheria vaccine has been proven remarkably effective in preventing the disease. “By ensuring that our children and communities are vaccinated, we create a formidable defense against the spread of diphtheria.”
Dr. Faisal maintained that vaccination is not just a personal choice but collective responsibility that can protect most vulnerable citizens and preserve the health of nation.
He said: “The phase 2 round one of our response using diphtheria vaccines has unfolded in seven states, encompassing 56 local government areas (LGAs) that are profoundly impacted by the ongoing diphtheria outbreak. The reach and impact of this concerted effort have been nothing short of remarkable.
“This ongoing vaccination phase has made a tangible difference in protecting the lives of 4,859,181 children across these affected states. A total of 1,692,762 children, ranging from six months to four years of age have been diligently administered the Pentavalent vaccine which is a vital safeguard against diphtheria.
“In addition, an impressive 3,166,419 children aged four to 14 years have received the Tetanus vaccines, further strengthening our safeguards from the disease among children and teenagers.”
He said that Kano state, being the epicenter of the epidemic has exemplified commitment to the cause of vaccination, ensuring the immunization of 1,111,310 children with Tetanus vaccines and 544,737 children with Pentavalent vaccines in the phase two.
“Katsina, another hotspot has vaccinated 403,252 children with Tetanus vaccines and 255,075 children with Pentavalent vaccines. Similiarly, Kaduna, Bauchi, Borno, Jigawa, and Yobe, have not faltered in their efforts to collectively secure the health and well-being of hundreds of thousands of children through dedicated vaccination campaigns.”
He said the collective achievement was built upon earlier response conducted in August 2023, during which 2,370,918 children were covered with necessary vaccinations to shield them from the diphtheria menace. “These figures not only illustrate our unrelenting commitment to safeguarding our nation’s children but also serve as a testament to the power of collective action in the face of adversity.”
He, however, stressed the importance of the ongoing diphtheria immunization which, he said, has been seamlessly integrated with the indispensable daily routine immunization services extended to all 36 states and the FCT.
He said the success represent the targeted and strategic interventions to address the diphtheria outbreak, and they are not inclusive of the routine vaccinations which continue to be delivered as part of daily public health services.
NCDC Director General, Dr. Adetifa, in his presentations, disclosed that, “as at Thursday, 19th of October, 2023, there have been 15,060 reported suspected diphtheria cases, out of which 9,478 were confirmed from 137 LGAs in 20 states including the FCT.
Breakdown of the cases by states indicated that Kano accounted for 7,747 (81.7%), Yobe – 841, Bauchi – 369, Katsina – 275, Borno – 164, Jigawa -24, Kaduna – 18, Lagos – 8, Zamfara – 7, FCT – 7, Lagos – 6, Gombe – 5, Sokoto – 4, Osun – 3, Niger – 2, Cross River, Enugu, Imo, Nasarawa, Kebbi, Taraba – 1 each.
