There were heightened efforts yesterday by some state governments to contain diphtheria outbreak following the spread of the deadly scourge.
The death toll had risen to 1,767 in Kano and Plateau states as off yesterday. The recorded cases in Kano, Plateau and Nasarawa states stood at 32, 797.
By yesterday, about 30 local government areas of Katsina state had been hit by the dreaded diphtheria attacks, with Funtua listed among the high-burden areas.
Other council areas severely affected include Kankia, Bakori, Katsina, Mashi and Daura.
Diphtheria is a serious, contagious bacterial infection that mostly affects the nose and throat.
As part of measures to contain the spread, the state government has launched a reactive vaccination campaign, targeting 15 high-risk wards in Bakori, Charanchi, Funtua, Mashi and Kankia.
The Nation learnt that within the first three days of the campaign, 67,670 eligible people had received Td vaccines, while 24,103 children received pentavalent vaccines.
The state, which has established three additional isolation centres to complement the NCDC-supported facility at the Federal Teaching Hospital in Katsina, also secured an additional 650,000 doses of diphtheria-containing vaccines for high-risk communities.
The authorities were reported to be strengthening active case searches.
Yesterday, health workers in the Northwest state declared a seven-day warning strike beginning from midnight of September 8, a development that could further strain the state’s healthcare system as it battles an ongoing diphtheria spread.
The Assembly of Healthcare Professionals (AHAPN), comprising several health workers’ unions, announced the planned industrial action in a notice addressed to the Office of the Head of Civil Service, Katsina State.
The notice, dated September 1, was jointly signed by leaders of the Association of Hospital and Health Care Professionals of Nigeria (AHAPN), National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria (AMLSN), and Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN).
The planned industrial action comes at a critical time for Katsina’s health sector, with suspected diphtheria cases reported across 29 of the state’s 34 local government areas.
The unions said the decision followed the expiration of a 21-day ultimatum issued to the state government on August 11, without what they described as any serious commitment towards resolving the issues involved
It said over the years the state has been in this struggle as the state government has never demonstrated any form of seriousness over their cause
Poor vaccine uptake threatens fight against scourge
Assistant Director of Epidemiology at the Katsina State’s Primary Healthcare Agency (SPHA), Dr. Aminu Lawal identified poor vaccine uptake as a major challenge threatening efforts to contain the scourge in the state
Lawal further disclosed that despite the availability of vaccines and government’s interventions to control the disease, many parents and caregivers were still failing to take their children for vaccination.
He dropped the hint at a media dialogue on the Promotion of Nutrition Behaviours and Sensitasation on Diphtheria Outbreak, where he urged participants and residents to take advantage of the free vaccination programme provided by the government.
According to him, diphtheria is a vaccine-preventable bacterial disease that can cause severe complications when not prevented or treated promptly.
He explained that bacteria produces toxins capable of affecting vital organs, including the heart, kidneys and lungs, while also causing paralysis and obstruction of the airways.
He said: ‘The vaccine is available, but our problem is the uptake. The ultimate goal is for people to get vaccinated because diphtheria is a vaccine-preventable disease.
‘Parents must ensure their children receive the recommended doses of diphtheria-containing vaccines through routine immunisation, because completing the vaccination schedule is essential for adequate protection.
‘The government had made vaccines available free of charge at health facilities, while additional support was being provided to encourage residents to access immunisation services.’
He appealed to community leaders and other stakeholders to intensify awareness campaigns and encourage parents to present their children for vaccination.
The epidemiologist said the government had also provided drugs, healthcare workers and isolation centres for the management of suspected and confirmed diphtheria cases across designated health facilities.
He, however, stressed that treatment alone could not end the outbreak without increased vaccination coverage.
Lawal advised residents to take precautionary measures against the spread of the disease, including avoiding overcrowded places, maintaining personal and environmental hygiene, wearing face masks when appropriate and avoiding close contact with suspected cases.
He said diphtheria spreads through respiratory droplets, similar to other respiratory infections, and urged anyone showing symptoms such as fever, cough, runny nose, difficulty swallowing, change in voice, neck swelling and excessive drooling to seek medical attention immediately.
According to him, a thick greyish-white membrane in the throat is another important warning sign associated with diphtheria and requires urgent medical attention.
He called on residents to cooperate with health officials and vaccination teams, warning that the presence of vaccines would have little impact if people did not utilise them.
Scourge hit Plateau hard
The disease has claimed the lives of 23 people, with 143 others suspected to have contracted the disease in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State.
Health Commissioner Nicholas Baamlong told reporters yesterday that the outbreak is mainly concentrated in Jos North, while the government is working to prevent its spread to neighbouring local government areas.
He said: ‘There is actually an outbreak of Diphtheria in the state. As of today, we have 143 suspected cases and we have lost 23 patients.
‘Some of the patients are receiving treatment at the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH) and Plateau State Specialist Hospital.
‘We have made a lot of effort to stabilise the situation and to prevent further escalation. Rikkos community is majorly affected. The most unfortunate is that there’s no anti-toxin for treatment, so we use antibiotics. It spreads through coughing, sneezing and contact with the person that is affected.’
Earlier, Baks Bulus, the Disease Surveillance and Notification Officer for Jos North Local Government said 15 deaths occurred within three days of the outbreak and warned that additional cases could arise if urgent preventive measures were not adopted.
He said the development came barely two days after a family in Jos reportedly lost two children to the suspected infection.
Explaining the mode of transmission, Bulus said diphtheria is a bacterial infection that can spread rapidly from one person to another, particularly among close contacts.
He added that people who share personal items such as utensils and towels with infected persons are at risk of contracting the disease.
Bulus said: ‘It keeps spreading when people come in close contact with an infected patient. For children, who have been vaccinated, the effects may not be much and may not lead to death. But for a child, who has not been vaccinated or has not completed the required doses, it can be deadly,’ he said.
Kano battles severe outbreak, rallies monarch
The Kano government continued to its battle against its worst-ever diphtheria outbreaks, with 32,633 confirmed cases and 1,744 deaths recorded across all 44 local government areas.
In the last few weeks, the disease swept through homes in Rano, wiping out multiple children in a single household. Most victims were under 10.
It often starts like catarrh: fever, sore throat. Parents buy drugs from chemists. By the time the neck swells and breathing becomes difficult, it is usually too late.
‘We buried my daughter, then my brother’s. My daughter died within a week after she got sick. That was after my brother’s daughter died a week before. My neighbour also lost a child,’ Ibrahim Lawan of Rano said.
He stated that ‘the first sign as swelling after fever. A chemist gave them medicine. Two days later, the swelling moved to her neck, followed by vomiting with a foul smell. By the time we put her on drip, she was gone,’ he said.
Rurum Village Head Ado Yusuf said that every compound in his domain have been living in fear.
He said: ‘Just yesterday, a five-year-old girl died. We thought it was catarrh. The native healer tried. When they finally decided to go to hospital, it was late.’
Another resident, Umar Sadi, said: Rano Clinic is only 20km away but the road is bad and there is no money for transport. Even those who get there are often referred to Kano City, where many give up.
‘Most of the children who died had not been vaccinated. Many were first treated at home. Some were taken to traditional healers who cut the membrane from the child’s throat, spreading the bacteria further’.
Worried by the toll, the Kano State Government set up a special committee and reactivated its rapid response team.
The State House of Assembly also urged Governor Abba Yusuf to intervene urgently. The member representing Rano, Ibrahim Muhammad, told plenary that Ridin and Sabuwar Kaura areas have been the hardest hit, with over 50 children dead.
‘Emergency drugs and health workers have been deployed,’ he said, ‘but more is needed.’
The Kano State Centre for Disease Control (KNCDC) also moved. Yesterday, it engaged district heads under the Kano Emirate Council to intensify community sensitisation and drive vaccine acceptance.
Director-General of the KNCDC, Prof Muhammad Adamu-Abbas, urged royal leaders to help halt the spread through increased vaccination and prompt reporting.
‘Many of the diphtheria cases recorded in the state involve children who had not received routine immunisation, sought treatment from chemists or traditional healers, or were brought late to health facilities,’ he said.
15 cases recorded in Nasarawa
Nasarawa State has recorded 15 cases of diphtheria outbreak with majority of them in Keffi local government area.
Director of public health in the state ministry of health, Dr. Peter Attah who confirmed the cases said three local government areas were affected with ages ranging from 2 months to 11 years.
He said: ‘Most of the cases are in Keffi, out of the 15, one case is from Wamba, and then three from Lafia and the remaining 11 cases are all from Keffi.’
Attah said, the affected children were not immunize, adding that failure of parents and caregivers to present children for routine immunization is responsible for the outbreak.
He added that despite the affected cases, no death has been recorded as the affected children are undergoing treatment as vaccines and treatment had been deployed to FMC Keffi, Federal University Teaching Hospital Lafia and other facilities to handle such cases.
He advice parents and other caregivers to take advantage of the free routine immunization available at all Primary Healthcare Centers across the State.