Ebonyi Steps Up Immunisation, Emergency Response Against Diphtheria
Korede Abdullah 
EBONYI, Nigeria – The Ebonyi State Government has intensified immunisation efforts for children aged three to nine years as part of measures to strengthen protection against diphtheria and other vaccine-preventable diseases.
The Commissioner for Health, Dr Moses Ekuma, disclosed this on Tuesday in Abakaliki while briefing journalists on the state’s health response, stressing the need for stronger prevention and emergency preparedness.
Ekuma described diphtheria as a serious infectious disease and said the state was strengthening its healthcare infrastructure and response capacity to deal with outbreaks.
As part of the measures, the government has established three oxygen manufacturing plants, one in each of Ebonyi’s three senatorial zones, to improve access to medical oxygen during emergencies.
The state has also introduced an ambulance service and purchased 100 motorcycles for health workers to improve transportation and service delivery, particularly at primary healthcare facilities.
Ekuma said medical personnel and other health workers had also received training under the Public Health Emergency Response Framework to strengthen preparedness for disease outbreaks.
The commissioner said the government was also expanding diagnostic and specialist healthcare capacity, including a diagnostic centre at Oferekpe Agbaja equipped with two MRI machines.
He added that more than 1,000 health workers had recently been employed as part of efforts to strengthen healthcare delivery across the state.
The immunisation push comes as Ebonyi continues to expand routine vaccination coverage. Data from the state’s IMPACT project showed that more than 204,300 children were immunised across 13 local government areas by September, while more than 3,000 zero-dose children in underserved communities had been reached through intensified outreach.
The state has also recorded gains in routine immunisation coverage, including a reported Penta 3 coverage of 118 per cent in the same programme data.
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Oluwatobi Adu 
