The Federal Government is in the final stages of establishing the National Diphtheria Laboratory as part of it effort to combat the ongoing diphtheria outbreak in the country.
This state-of-the-art facility will serve as a critical hub for conducting preliminary and confirmatory testing of the disease across the country.
As of the latest update, a staggering 13,204 suspected cases of diphtheria have been reported, with 8,406 confirmed cases emerging from 114 Local Government Areas in 18 states and the Federal Capital Territory.
Dr. Ifedayo Adetifa, the Director General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, unveiled these alarming statistics during a press briefing in Abuja.
The breakdown of cases by states reveals that Kano bears the brunt of the disease, accounting for 86 percent of the total burden with 7,188 cases. Yobe, Katsina, and other states also report significant numbers.
What is particularly concerning is that a majority of confirmed diphtheria cases, a startling 73.7 percent, involve individuals aged 1-14 years. Dr. Adetifa emphasized that many of these cases were found to be unvaccinated against diphtheria, with 64 percent being either unvaccinated or partially vaccinated.
Diphtheria, a vaccine-preventable disease, is part of Nigeria’s childhood immunization schedule. The Federal Ministry of Health, in collaboration with various agencies and partners, is actively responding to diphtheria outbreaks in affected states.
The National Rapid Response Teams have been deployed to support outbreak response efforts in several states, though security challenges have hindered access to certain areas. Additionally, efforts are underway to optimize laboratories at the sub-national level, with the development of the National Diphtheria Laboratory nearing completion.
The government has also launched comprehensive vaccination campaigns in affected regions, with a focus on high-burden areas.
These campaigns, complementing routine vaccination efforts, have seen hundreds of thousands of children receive essential vaccines.
Moreover, community engagement and trust-building remain paramount, with public health advisories, social and behavior change materials, and stakeholder meetings playing crucial roles in the comprehensive approach to tackling this diphtheria outbreak.
In the face of this public health crisis, the Federal Government, alongside its partners, is taking proactive measures to safeguard the health and well-being of its citizens.
The establishment of the National Diphtheria Laboratory and the ongoing vaccination campaigns are pivotal steps in this critical mission.