The Federal Ministry of Health has identified 171 local government areas (LGAs) across 14 states at elevated risk for the potential further spread of the ongoing diphtheria outbreak.
Olufunsho Adebiyi, the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, disclosed that among these LGAs, 144 are situated in states including Kano, Katsina, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Yobe, Kaduna, and Bauchi. The remaining 27 LGAs consist of 20 contiguous ones in Gombe, Jigawa, Borno, Nasarawa, Plateau, and Zamfara states, as well as seven in Lagos and Osun states.
Adebiyi emphasized that real-time surveillance data has revealed active diphtheria outbreaks in 25 LGAs within Bauchi, Katsina, Yobe, and Kaduna states.
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In collaboration with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), states, and partners, the Federal Ministry of Health is orchestrating a concerted effort to mobilize essential resources for an effective response to the outbreak.
Adebiyi detailed, “A comprehensive response plan has been activated to ensure early detection, containment of cases, as well as preventing further transmission through a multi-phased response strategy.”
This partnership seeks to execute intensified mass vaccination drives in two phases, focusing on the identified populations at risk as a means to curtail the ongoing diphtheria outbreak.
GOOD EVENING NIGERIA reports that Diphtheria is a disease that affects people of all age groups, predominantly targets the respiratory system. Unvaccinated children are especially vulnerable to this ailment, which is characterized by symptoms including fever, cough, runny nose, sore throat, neck swelling, and respiratory difficulties.
If left untreated, these symptoms can escalate to fatal consequences. Partially vaccinated or unvaccinated children face a higher risk of death in case of diphtheria infection.
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