Gom Mirian
UNICEF Nigeria has issued a dire warning regarding an unprecedented diphtheria outbreak in the country, while urging the government to take immediate action by implementing wide-scale vaccination programmes to curb the spread of the deadly disease.
Diphtheria, a highly contagious bacterial infection that primarily affects the respiratory system, has claimed countless lives and threatens to further devastate communities already grappling with poverty and limited access to healthcare services.
The outbreak has reached alarming levels, with cases reported in various states across the country.
According to a statement by made available to Africa Health Report on Wednesday in Abuja, the outbreak has so far resulted in over 11,500 suspected cases, with more than 7,000 confirmed cases, and 453 lives lost, mostly children aged 4 to 15.
Dr. Rownak Khan, UNICEF Representative, expressed deep concern over the current situation, saying “the devastating impact of this diphtheria outbreak is a grim reminder of the importance of vaccination. Nigeria is home to a staggering 2.2 million children who haven’t received even a single dose of vaccine – the second largest such cohort in the world. We must collectively take urgent actions to drastically reduce this number. Every child deserves protection from preventable diseases. This is not negotiable.”
It added that most cases are children who have not received even a single dose of the vital vaccine, laying bare the urgency of the vaccination situation in Nigeria.
“UNICEF is providing urgent support to the Nigerian government in its efforts to combat the outbreak. A crucial part of this support includes the procurement of vaccines to support the government’s response.
“So far, on behalf of the government, UNICEF has deployed 9.3 million doses of diphtheria vaccines to affected states including Kano, Bauchi, Borno, Yobe, Katsina, Kaduna and Jigawa. Of these, 4 million doses have been dispatched to Kano, the epicentre of the outbreak. Another 4 million doses of vaccines are being procured and will be handed over to the government in the coming weeks.
“UNICEF Nigeria calls on partners, stakeholders, and the international community to rally together to ensure that every child in Nigeria is reached with life-saving vaccines. The children’s agency emphasizes the importance of strengthening routine immunization, community engagement, and health systems to avoid similar outbreaks in the future.
