Katsina State Government has secured an additional 650,000 doses of diphtheria-containing vaccines as it intensifies efforts to contain an outbreak that has recorded more than 1,000 suspected cases across the state.
The outbreak has also resulted in deaths estimated at about five per cent of reported cases, with suspected infections recorded in 29 Local Government Areas (LGAs).
The Acting Executive Secretary of the Katsina State Primary Health Care Development Agency (KSPHCDA), Dr Shima’u Kabir, disclosed this on Sunday during a press briefing on the state’s response to the outbreak.
She identified Funtua as the LGA with the highest burden, followed by Bakori, Kankia, Katsina, Mani and Daura.
Shima’u described the situation as a serious concern but assured residents that the government had intensified measures to contain the outbreak.
She said the response was being coordinated by the State Emergency Preparedness and Rapid Response Team and KSPHCDA, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), UNICEF, WHO and other development partners.
According to her, the response is being implemented under the Incident Management System, with regular coordination meetings, active surveillance, contact tracing, investigation of suspected cases and continuous analysis of epidemiological data.
She said reactive vaccination commenced on August 25 in five high-risk LGAs Bakori, Charanchi, Funtua, Mani and Kankia with support from the NPHCDA and logistics provided by UNICEF.
“By day three of the exercise, 67,670 eligible persons had received the Td vaccine, while 24,103 children had received the pentavalent vaccine across the five implementing LGAs,” she said.
She attributed the turnout to house-to-house mobilisation and the involvement of traditional rulers, community leaders, health workers and other stakeholders.
To expand treatment capacity, the government has also established three additional isolation centres at MCHC Kanti in Daura, General Hospital Funtua and General Amadi Rimi Orthopaedic Hospital.
Shima’u said an isolation centre was opened at the orthopaedic hospital on Friday, while essential drugs, medical consumables and infection prevention materials were being supplied to support the NCDC isolation centre at the Federal Teaching Hospital Katsina.
She added that case-management drugs were being pre-positioned in affected communities, while health workers were receiving additional training on diphtheria surveillance and treatment.
The acting executive secretary, however, identified low vaccination uptake and delayed presentation of suspected cases at health facilities as major challenges to containing the outbreak.
She also cited Katsina’s porous international border with Niger Republic as a challenge requiring sustained surveillance and coordinated intervention.
Shima’u urged parents and caregivers to ensure that children receive all recommended vaccines, describing immunisation as one of the most effective ways to prevent diphtheria.
She advised residents to seek immediate medical attention when they notice symptoms such as sore throat, fever, difficulty swallowing or breathing, neck swelling, or a thick greyish or whitish membrane in the throat, tonsils or nose.
“Please do not wait until the condition becomes severe and do not attempt to manage a suspected case at home,” she warned.
She said early presentation could save lives and reduce transmission within households and communities.
Shima’u also urged residents to cooperate with vaccination teams, surveillance officers and other health workers involved in the response.
She commended federal health authorities, development partners, traditional and religious leaders, local government authorities, Ward Development Committees, community mobilisers, frontline health workers and vaccination teams for supporting the response.
She assured residents that the state government would continue to commit resources towards containing the outbreak, strengthening surveillance and case management, improving routine immunisation and protecting children against vaccine-preventable diseases.
“Diphtheria is preventable, vaccinations save lives, and early detection and prompt treatment save lives,” she said.
(Leadership)
