The Director-General, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, Ifedayo Adetifa, says as of October 19, 2023, about 15,060 suspected cases of diphtheria infections were recorded in the country.
He explained that from 137 local government areas across 20 states including the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, 9,478 were confirmed.
Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja on Thursday, he disclosed that 71.5 per cent of the confirmed cases were between the ages of one and 14 years, with infants accounting for less than one per cent of the cases.
Adetifa said data shows that Kano has the highest number of cases at 7,747, followed by Yobe with 841 cases.
He added, “Bauchi State recorded 369 infections, followed by Katsina – 275, Borno – 164, Jigawa – 24, Kaduna – 18, Lagos – eight, Zamfara – seven, FCT – seven, Gombe – five, Sokoto – four, Osun – three, and Niger State- two cases.”
The Director-General stated that Cross River, Enugu, Imo, Nasarawa, Kebbi, and Taraba states recorded one case of diphtheria infection each.
The Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Faisal Shuaib, while speaking at the briefing, said a total of 1,692,762 children, between six months and four years of age, had been diligently administered the Pentavalent vaccine— a vital safeguard against this disease.
In addition, he said that an impressive 3,166,419 children aged four to 14 years had received the TD vaccines, further strengthening the country from the disease among children and teenagers.
He explained that the phase two round one of the outbreak response using diphtheria vaccines commenced on 23 September and has unfolded in seven states, encompassing 56 LGAs that are profoundly impacted by the ongoing outbreak.
said Kano State had exemplified its commitment to this cause, ensuring the immunisation of 1,111,310 children with TD vaccines and 544,737 children with Pentavalent vaccines in phase two, adding that Katsina, another hotspot in the outbreak, had vaccinated 403,252 children with TD vaccines and 255,075 children with Pentavalent vaccines.
According to him, Kaduna, Bauchi, Borno, Jigawa, and Yobes have not faltered in their efforts either, collectively securing the health and well-being of hundreds of thousands of children through dedicated vaccination campaigns.
He said Kano State had exemplified its commitment to this cause, ensuring the immunisation of 1,111,310 children with TD vaccines and 544,737 children with Pentavalent vaccines in phase two, adding that Katsina, another hotspot in the outbreak, had vaccinated 403,252 children with TD vaccines and 255,075 children with Pentavalent vaccines.
According to him, Kaduna, Bauchi, Borno, Jigawa, and Yobes have not faltered in their efforts either, collectively securing the health and well-being of hundreds of thousands of children through dedicated vaccination campaigns.
