Plateau State has recorded 148 suspected cases of diphtheria and 23 deaths, prompting the state government to intensify efforts to contain the disease and distribute medications to designated treatment centres.
The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Nicholas Baamlong, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Jos.
Baamlong said the state began recording children with symptoms suggestive of diphtheria in early August, with cases particularly concentrated in densely populated communities in Jos North Local Government Area.
He said the government had since stepped up sensitisation and vaccination campaigns in affected communities as part of measures to contain further transmission.
According to the commissioner, eight patients are currently receiving treatment at the Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH), while five others are being treated at the Plateau Specialist Hospital, where isolation centres have been established for suspected cases.
He said the state government had alerted the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) and requested materials required for the collection and transportation of samples for laboratory confirmation.
Baamlong said the materials had since been received, enabling health officials to collect samples from suspected cases and send them for testing.
He identified mild fever, sore throat, cough, difficulty in swallowing, weakness and the presence of a plaque at the back of the throat among symptoms associated with diphtheria.
The commissioner, however, expressed concern over the reported unavailability of diphtheria antitoxin in the country, saying the NCDC and the Federal Government were working to procure the treatment.
He urged parents and caregivers to ensure that children received and completed their routine immunisation, noting that some of the affected children had either not been vaccinated or had not completed their vaccination schedules.
Baamlong also attributed some of the deaths to late presentation at health facilities, urging parents and caregivers to seek immediate medical attention when children develop symptoms suggestive of the disease.
To strengthen community-level response, he said the government was engaging traditional, religious and community leaders to promote vaccination and encourage residents to take preventive measures.
The commissioner also disclosed that consultations were ongoing with school authorities over concerns that the reopening of schools could increase contact among children and potentially facilitate further transmission.
He advised residents to maintain good personal and environmental hygiene and avoid overcrowded environments as part of measures to reduce the risk of further spread.
NAN reports that medications have been distributed to the Plateau Specialist Hospital and JUTH, the two facilities serving as isolation centres for suspected diphtheria cases.