This additional funding comes in response to the ongoing diphtheria outbreak, making Nigeria currently the world’s second-largest outbreak, with 10,322 confirmed and 16,616 suspected cases since the beginning of the year.

Kano State in the Northwest is identified as the epicenter of the outbreak, reporting 8,447 confirmed cases and 589 deaths.

The most affected states include Kano, Yobe, Katsina, Borno, Bauchi, and Kaduna, collectively accounting for 96 percent of all suspected cases. Despite control efforts since late 2022, the disease has spread to other states in the Northwest and Northeast.

Children aged 1 to 14 years represent 72 percent of all confirmed cases, with over 60 percent of all suspected cases not being vaccinated.

The EU’s new funding will support UNICEF and the medical NGO ALIMA in enhancing surveillance, case detection, treatment, community awareness, and vaccine procurement.

This funding is part of the EU’s Epidemics tool, created to provide rapid funding in case of disease outbreaks. Diphtheria, a highly contagious bacterial infection transmitted between humans, poses a significant risk, particularly to children and those not fully vaccinated against the disease.

The EU’s financial support aims to bolster the response efforts and mitigate the impact of the diphtheria outbreak in Nigeria.

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.

This information was made available in a statement jointly issued by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) on Monday.

As of September 24, 2023, there have been 11,587 reported suspected cases, out of which 7,202 were confirmed. These cases were spread across 105 Local Government Areas in 18 states, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Kano recorded the highest number of confirmed cases at 6,185, followed by Yobe (640), Katsina (213), and several other states with varying case numbers.

The statement noted that the majority (73.6%) of the confirmed cases affected children aged 1 – 14 years, with a particular impact on those aged 5-14 years.

Among the confirmed cases, there have been 453 deaths, resulting in a Case Fatality Rate (CFR) of 6.3 percent. In response to these alarming statistics, the Coordinating Minister of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, established a National Emergency Task Team to oversee the coordination of outbreak response efforts.

This task team is co-chaired by the Executive Director of the NPHCDA and the Director General of the NCDC, with the involvement of key stakeholders such as the World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, USAID, GAVI, and other organizations.

Diphtheria is a vaccine-preventable disease caused by the bacteria Corynebacterium diphtheriae. It is typically covered by vaccines provided routinely through Nigeria’s childhood immunization schedule.

In response to the outbreak, the ministry and its agencies have been actively coordinating surveillance and response activities across the country, including vaccination, case management, laboratory investigation, and risk communication efforts.

This is even as the death toll has hit 40 in the country.

The NCDC also said the suspected cases in the country are now 523 from five states – Kano, Yobe, Katsina, Lagos, and Osun states.

The Lead of the Diphtheria/Pertussis Technical Working Group in the NCDC, Dr Bola Lawal revealed this at a webinar titled ‘Diphtheria Outbreak in Nigeria: A Case of Re-Emergence or Improved Surveillance,’ monitored by our correspondent on Monday.

Diphtheria is a serious bacterial infection caused by the bacterium called Corynebacterium species that affects the nose, throat, and sometimes, skin of an individual. Diphtheria spreads easily between people through direct contact with infected people droplets from coughing or sneezing, and contact with contaminated clothing and objects.

Dr Lawal said the NCDC was notified of suspected diphtheria outbreaks from Kano state and Lagos state and the rapid response team was deployed to the states on December 12, 2022, where the outbreak was confirmed in the states.

He noted that the agency is currently supporting the response activities in Kano, Katsina, Lagos, Osun, Yobe, and other states.

Giving a breakdown of the epidemiological situation, he said “Kano state has recorded 396 suspected cases with 211 confirmed cases, Yobe state has recorded 78 suspected cases with two confirmed cases; Katsina has 34 suspected cases but no confirmed case yet; Lagos state has recorded 14 suspected cases and two confirmed cases; Osun state has one confirmed case so far.

“We have also recorded 40 deaths with a case fatality rate of 18.5 per cent.

“Of the 216 confirmed cases, 184 (85.2 per cent) were aged two to 14 years from both sexes.”

He added that 40 deaths were recorded in Kano State (38) and Lagos State (two).

On the vaccination status, he said of the 216 confirmed cases, 27  were fully vaccinated, 84 were unvaccinated and 20 were partly vaccinated.

The expert said diphtheria is very much in the country with sub-optimal coverage for the pentavalent vaccine and the burden of diphtheria is under-reported due to poor surveillance and limited capacity for laboratory confirmation.

“For effective control of diphtheria, there must be a high index of suspicion among health care workers, strong laboratory capacity, timely access to diphtheria antitoxin and vaccination against diphtheria.”

In his remarks, the Director General of the NCDC, Dr Ifedayo Adetifa said the fight against disease outbreaks in the country is a joint effort involving everyone.

“Surveillance is everybody’s responsibility, it is not just enough to see. If you see something suspicious, report it to your local government, report to NCDC and then they can investigate.

“The idea is that it allows us to pick up soon after it occurs and provide more time to respond so that we can save lives and reduce suffering and protect our health workers from both known and unknown dangerous pathogens,” Adetifa said.

This is even as the centre said it was monitoring the situation in Yobe and Osun states where cases were being picked up.

Here are the 10 things you need to know about diphtheria disease:

1. Diphtheria is a serious bacterial infection caused by the bacterium called Corynebacterium species that affects the nose, throat, and sometimes, skin of an individual.

2. Diphtheria spreads easily between people through direct contact with infected people droplets from coughing or sneezing, and contact with contaminated clothing and objects.

3 . People most at risk include children and adults who have not received any dose of the pentavalent vaccine, people who live in areas with poor sanitation, people who live in a crowded environment, and healthcare workers exposed to suspected or confirmed cases of the disease.

4. The onset of signs of the disease usually starts after two to 10 days of exposure to the bacteria.

5. Symptoms of diphtheria include fever, runny nose, sore throat, cough, red eyes (conjunctivitis), and neck swelling. In severe cases, a thick grey or white patch appears on the tonsils and/or at the back of the throat associated with difficulty breathing.

6. Complications from diphtheria include airway blockage, damage to the heart muscle, nerve damage, and kidney failure. However, for some people, respiratory diphtheria can lead to death.

7. To prevent it, the Nigeria childhood immunisation schedule recommends three doses of pentavalent vaccine (diphtheria toxoid-containing vaccine) for children in the sixth, 10th, and 14th week of life.

8. Diphtheria treatment involves using diphtheria antitoxin to stop the bacteria toxin from damaging the body and using antibiotics to kill and get rid of the bacteria. The treatment usually lasts for two to three weeks.

9. Poor immunisation coverage can lead to a resurgence of the disease. Therefore, parents must ensure that their children are fully vaccinated against diphtheria with three doses of the pentavalent vaccine as recommended in the childhood immunisation schedule.

10. Individuals with signs and symptoms suggestive of diphtheria should isolate themselves and notify the Local Government Area authorities, state disease surveillance officer, or the NCDC through our toll-free line (6232).