Nigeria is currently grappling with a severe outbreak of diphtheria, as the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, in collaboration with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), confirmed 453 deaths out of 7,202 confirmed cases since December 2022.
The outbreak, which has affected 105 Local Government Areas in 18 states including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has resulted in 11,587 reported suspected cases as of September 24, 2023. Among these, 7,202 were confirmed with diphtheria.
Kano State has been hit the hardest, with 6,185 confirmed cases recorded. Other affected states include Yobe (640), Katsina (213), Borno (95), Kaduna (16), Jigawa (14), Bauchi (8), Lagos (8), FCT (5), Gombe (5), Osun (3), Sokoto (3), Niger (2), Cross River (1), Enugu (1), Imo (1), Nasarawa (1), and Zamfara (1).
The majority (73.6%) of confirmed cases were reported among children aged 1 – 14 years, with the age group of 5-14 years bearing the brunt of the disease.
Tragically, a total of 453 deaths have been recorded among the confirmed cases, resulting in a Case Fatality Rate (CFR) of 6.3 percent.
In response to the outbreak, the Coordinating Minister of the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Muhammad Ali Pate, has established a National Emergency Task Team. This Task Team is co-chaired by the Executive Director of the NPHCDA and the Director General of the NCDC to ensure a higher level of coordination for outbreak response efforts. The formation of the Task Team stemmed from the alarming finding that 80 percent of the confirmed cases in the ongoing outbreak are individuals who have not been vaccinated.
The Task Team comprises members from various institutions and organizations including the Director of Public Health-FMOH, representatives from the Federal Ministry of Information, the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (USCDC), the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance, select non-governmental organizations, and development partners.
Since the confirmation of the outbreak, the Federal Ministry of Health and its collaborating agencies have been proactively coordinating surveillance and response activities across the country. These efforts encompass response coordination, surveillance, laboratory investigation, vaccination, case management, and risk communication activities.
Diphtheria, caused by the bacteria Corynebacterium Diphtheriae and its associated toxin, is a vaccine-preventable disease. It is included in Nigeria’s childhood immunization schedule, making it crucial for parents to ensure that their children receive the necessary vaccinations.
