African Health Ministers Renew Commitment to Combat Diphtheria Outbreaks
In a high-level meeting convened by the World Health Organization (WHO) Regional Director for Africa, Dr. Mohamed Janabi, Ministers of Health from eight African countries reaffirmed their commitment to halting the resurgence of diphtheria, a vaccine-preventable disease that continues to threaten lives across the continent. The meeting brought together representatives from Chad, Guinea, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, and South Africa, all of which have reported diphtheria outbreaks, as well as key partners including UNICEF, GAVI, the Vaccine Alliance, and Africa CDC.
The resurgence of diphtheria has been attributed to stagnant immunization coverage, fragile primary healthcare systems, and the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, which have widened immunity gaps. More than 90% of reported cases have occurred among unvaccinated and under-immunized children, highlighting the need for improved access to essential health services. “Diphtheria is an entirely vaccine-preventable disease and should not be resurfacing at this scale,” said Dr. Janabi. “No child should die from a disease we can prevent, and primary healthcare must remain a central pillar of health security.”
The WHO continues to support affected countries through enhanced surveillance, laboratory confirmation, and vaccination activities, as well as coordination of limited global supplies of diphtheria antitoxin (DAT). However, persistent gaps in financing, laboratory capacity, and community engagement continue to slow progress and contribute to preventable deaths. The Africa CDC is working closely with affected countries to strengthen outbreak response, with a focus on expanding vaccine manufacturing in Africa and reinforcing routine immunization and primary healthcare systems.
During the meeting, participants reviewed the situation, shared country-level experiences, and identified key challenges and priority actions requiring sustained political and financial support. These actions include scaling up vaccination efforts to close immunity gaps, strengthening surveillance and laboratory capacity, and improving clinical management to reduce fatalities. “Eliminating diphtheria outbreaks requires strong coordination,” said Dr. Mohamed Mahmoud Ely Mahmoud, Minister of Health of Mauritania. “We are grateful to WHO, Africa CDC, and other partners for their continued support.”
The meeting concluded with a call to action from the Regional Director to reaffirm a shared commitment to ending diphtheria. He emphasized that every child and every community must be protected from vaccine-preventable diseases, and that success is within reach if decisive action is taken to strengthen surveillance, expand immunization, and ensure rapid response in every corner of the region. The WHO and its partners will continue to work with affected countries to combat the outbreak and prevent future resurgences of the disease.