Edo State has confirmed a diphtheria outbreak with two fatalities among five cases, prompting an emergency response meeting and public health warnings from Commissioner Dr. Cyril Oshiomhole

The House of Representatives has directed the Federal Ministry of Health, the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), and the National Health Care Development Agency (NHCDA) to enforce the mandatory diphtheria immunisation, testing and treatment at all healthcare centres in all the 774 local government areas in the country. The House also directed the Federal Ministry of Information and National …

The federal government has said the ongoing outbreak of diphtheria has affected 9,478 children across the 20 affected states, with 4,859,181 children vaccinated against it in the response. The executive director of the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr Faisal Shuaib, disclosed this yesterday at a press briefing by the National Diphtheria Emergency Task Team, in Abuja. He said, …

National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA), has confirmed that 117 children have died following the Diphtheria outbreak in Yobe since 2022. The agency, however, said that 1,600 children had recovered from the disease within the period under review. NPHCDA executive director, Dr Faisal Shuaib stated this during an inspection visit to the Diphtheria isolation centre in Potiskum, the epicentre of …

As diphtheria spreads further across the country, the federal government has urged the affected 19 states to reintroduce the use of facemasks. The executive director of the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr. Faisal Shuaib, gave the advice yesterday at the Diphtheria Outbreak Response press briefing, in Abuja. He said, “Diphtheria is an airborne disease. Like COVID-19, we can …

The fight against the diphtheria outbreak in Kano State has received a boost with the donation of some items by the World Health Organisation (WHO) to support the state in its fight against the dreaded disease. The items include consignment which consists of 467 cartons of personal protective equipment (PPEs), apron protection, bag biohazard, examination glove (M, L, XL), surgical glove (6.5, …

An international human rights organisation, Save the Children has decried the shortage of vaccines to contain the 7,202 cases of diphtheria in Nigeria. The organisation said on Friday that its emergency health unit would deploy expert health and supply chain staff members to help over-stretched clinics to detect and treat diphtheria cases and to support mass vaccination campaigns across the …

Amid the most severe diphtheria outbreak in recent global history, the United Nations Children’s Fund Nigeria (UNICEF) is sounding the alarm about the urgent need for widespread vaccination. The outbreak has so far resulted in 11,587 suspected cases, 7,202 cases across 105 local government areas in 17 states and the Federal Capital Territory, mostly among children. A total of 453 …

The Federal Government on Monday confirmed 7,202 cases of diphtheria out of the 11,587 suspected cases across 105 Local Government Areas in 18 states, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). In a joint press statement by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (FMoH&SW); the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA); the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and …

The Director General of Kano State Primary Healthcare Management Board, Dr Muhammad Mahmud has said that about 520 children are suspected to have lost their lives following the diphtheria outbreak in the state this year (2023). Mahmud disclosed this while speaking to newsmen at a one-day media orientation on the diphtheria outbreak, supported by the United Nations Children’s Fund held …