Nigeria’s battle against diphtheria has claimed 1,191 lives since May 2023, according to the latest figures released by the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC).
The statistics were revealed during the National Intra-Action Review Meeting for Diphtheria outbreak held in Kaduna on Wednesday.
Muzzammil Gadanya, the Incident Manager of the National Diphtheria Emergency Operations Centre at NCDC, presented the sobering figures, reporting over 38,000 suspected cases nationwide, with 23,000 confirmed cases.
Despite these concerning numbers, Gadanya offered a glimmer of hope, noting “a significant reduction in diphtheria cases nationwide.”
“Vaccines are available for routine immunisation,” Gadanya assured, emphasizing the importance of maintaining momentum in disease containment efforts.
The review meeting focused on evaluating current response mechanisms and strengthening coordination to prevent further spread of the disease.
The Nigerian Red Cross has played a crucial role in the fight against the outbreak. Manir Jega, the organization’s director of healthcare, detailed their support: “Since the outbreak of diphtheria, we have supported the government by sending 3,700 community-based volunteers, who also engaged in house-to-house sensitisation. We also sensitised the populace by road shows, educating them on the signs and systems of the disease.”
The meeting brought together key stakeholders, including representatives from the Red Cross, the International Federation of Red Cross (IFRC), and sub-national bodies, to share experiences in managing diphtheria cases and provide updates on state-level responses.
Several key recommendations emerged from the review meeting:
Expansion of vaccination efforts, increased public awareness initiatives, implementation of active contact tracing in affected areas
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These measures are designed to reduce the impact of the diphtheria epidemic and strengthen Nigeria’s capacity to respond to future outbreaks.
The stakeholders emphasized the importance of public awareness about vaccination and active case-finding in controlling the spread of the disease.
