Diphtheria: Low Vaccination Level Threatening Children’s Lives

Diphtheria is a deadly bacterial infection prevalent in children, but do you know that low vaccination level against it is threatening children’s lives in Nigeria?

This implies a significant number of Nigerian children, majorly from ages 2- 14 remain vulnerable, the Federal Government’s efforts in providing vaccines notwithstanding

The Executive Director, National Primary Healthcare Development Agency (NPHCDA). Dr Faisal Shuaib painted a palpable picture of the low vaccination levels against diphtheria in Nigeria, in Abuja today.

READ ALSO: How Personal Ego, Supremacy Are Jeopardising Lives In Healthcare Sector

Speaking at a joint news conference on Diphtheria Outbreak Response organised by the NPHCDA, Shuaib said that the low vaccination level against the disease constituted a compromise against the country’s goal of achieving population immunity.

According to him, this was contributing to the Diphtheria outbreaks in the country with its palpable dangers

“A comprehensive response plan has been activated to detect cases early, contain the spread, and prevent further transmission through a multi-phased strategy.

“To facilitate our immediate response plan, we are leveraging surveillance data from NCDC and direct information from the states to ensure effective planning and resource deployment.

READ ALSO: Do You Know That Children Are Entitled To Rights?

“The Agency is working closely with partners to ensure adequate supplies of Tetanus Td (tetanus and diphtheria) for children 4 to 14 years and Pentavalent vaccines for children under 4 years,” he said.

He said that the NPHCDA, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Health, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), the states, and donor partners, were mobilising all necessary resources to respond effectively to this outbreak.

“Additionally, we are conducting awareness campaigns to educate the public about the disease, its symptoms, and preventive measures,”.

Part of the collaboration activities to counter the low vaccination level, he explained, included intensified mass vaccinations for identified at-risk populations in the affected states, administering pentavalent and tetanus and diphtheria vaccines.

READ ALSO: Four Female Abducted Students About To Be Married Off Unless…

“Phase 1, the immediate response, will encompass 25 Local Government Areas (LGAs) across four States: Bauchi, Katsina, Yobe, and Kaduna. This phase is scheduled to begin on August 7, 2023, and will continue until August 11, 2023.

“Phase 2 will cover outbreak response in 171 LGAs. Six States (Kano, Katsina, FCT, Yobe, Kaduna, and Bauchi) will have a state-wide outbreak response”

“While there will be targeted outbreak responses in LGAs across eight States: Jigawa (8 LGAs), Borno (4 LGAs), Osun (4 LGAs), Lagos (3 LGAs), Zamfara (3 LGAs), Gombe (3 LGAs), Plateau (1 LGA), and Nasarawa (1 LGA)”, he said.