Diphtheria spreads to 14 states in the nation, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Ali Pate, has established an urgent task force. This information was released on Thursday in a press release that was signed by Tashikalmah Hallah, Pate’s Special Assistant on Media and External Relations.
The Director-General of the Nigeria Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Ifedayo Adetifa, and the Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr. Faisal Shuaib, will jointly lead the taskforce.
People and Agencies included in the Task-force
The task-force also includes Dr. Anyaike Chukwuma, director of public health at the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, as well as representatives from the Federal Ministry of Information, World Health Organisation, United Nations Children’s Fund, and Northern Traditional Leaders Committee on Primary Healthcare Delivery.
The bacteria Corynebacterium diphtheriae is primarily responsible for the highly contagious and vaccine-preventable disease known as diphtheria, which can be fatal in five to ten percent of cases and has a greater death rate in young children. The risk has been maintained as high at the national level and low at the regional and international levels in the most recent risk assessment by WHO of the diphtheria outbreak in Nigeria.
14 States affected
The task-force is to function in an emergency mode, according to the minister, in order to prevent further spread to other states and provide relief to the public. According to a ministerial statement, “There should be significant mobilization and sensitization. The NTLC is essential in this situation. The dangers associated with the sickness as well as what needs to be done should be known to our people. As our kids start back at school, we need to act quickly.
To lead the quick reaction team to Kano, the crisis’ core, the ED of NPHCDA postponed his travel to the United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York. In 14 states, there have been cases of diphtheria, with Kano serving as the epicenter, according to the statement. Lagos, Osun, Federal Capital Territory, Nasarawa, Kaduna, Katsina, Yobe, Bauchi, Gombe, Borno, Zamfara, Jigawa, Plateau, and Kano are the 14 impacted states.
UNICEF sends Vaccine
Jerrymusa.com reports that In order to get complementary money, ownership, and widespread mobilization, Pate pushed the task-force team to communicate with the governors of the 14 affected states. According to the announcement, UNICEF has acquired 1.2 million vials of the tetanus-diphtheria vaccine to aid the Federal Government’s fight against the outbreak.
“I want to affirm UNICEF’s unwavering commitment to supporting the government’s comprehensive response to the diphtheria outbreak,” stated a UNICEF representative, Dr. Rownak Khan.I’m happy to report that the tetanus-diphtheria vaccination has arrived in Nigeria in 1.2 million vials thanks to UNICEF’s procurement on the government’s behalf. These will be delivered right away to Kano, the epicenter of this outbreak. Our shared goal is to protect every child’s health and future in Nigeria.