Francisca Irekpita

Medical experts want Nigerians to pay more attention to routine immunization coverage and effective vaccinations in the bid to combat the spread of diphtheria in the country. 

The experts, while speaking with Radio Nigeria on the reported upsurge in cases of diphtheria in parts of the country also emphasized the need for sustainable mechanisms to strengthen the delivery of primary health care services to the people. 

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, had alerted Nigerians on the outbreak of the vaccine-preventable bacteria infection, which affects the nose, throat and skin with records that it had killed at least 38 persons in the country. 

Reacting to the development, the experts in Infection Prevention and Control, Community and Public Health, as well as Epidemiology, were united in their submissions that the disease outbreak in different parts was an indication that more children needed to be immunized against diphtheria, tetanus and pertussis.

On his part, the infection prevention and control expert and Secretary-General, of Nigeria Medical Association, NMA, Ogun State, Dr Festus Adetanwa described diphtheria as a deadly but curable bacterial infection commonly found among children and the elderly with low immune systems. 

He highlighted fever, sore throat, nasal discharge, cough, difficulty in breathing and swollen glands of the neck as some of the symptoms associated with diphtheria, noting that, the disease could spread easily from person to person through droplets from cough and sneeze.

Dr Adetanwa advised the people to maintain a maximum level of hygiene as a precaution to prevent a resurgence of the disease in other locations. 

Also, the Community and Public Health expert, Dr Toluwalase Adegboye blamed the resurgence of diphtheria on the inadequate coverage of routine immunization and non-adherence to standard health safety precautions among Nigerians.

Dr Adegboye while appealing to relevant agencies to educate the people on the need to get vaccinated, also emphasized that reviewing the available primary Health care system for better performance would help to check outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases.

In a reaction, an Epidemiologist at the department of Public Health, Ogun State Ministry of Health, Dr Yusuf Akeem pointed out that the state government had commenced the needed public sensitization, especially among the rural dwellers about the symptoms and mode of transmission of diphtheria.

Dr Akeem explained that the state surveillance system had also been strengthened through the provision of adequate resources and training of healthcare workers, while effective communication channels had been established between health authorities and the public to further educate the people. 

Others who contributed to the issue urged the government to deploy more medical personnel to identify areas with the prevalence of diphtheria and make conscious efforts to treat the affected persons and vaccinate those classified as high-risk groups.

In Kano state, one of the worst-hit states in the country’s north, Dr Aminu Tsanyawa the health commissioner for the state had recorded more than 70 suspected cases along with 25 deaths related to the bacterial infection.

The total number of confirmed cases and deaths is not yet known.

Nigeria’s Centre for Disease Control and Prevention revealed it initiated an emergency response to the outbreak and is monitoring the situation in four of the nation’s 36 states.

Authorities were first alerted about an outbreak among children in Kano state in late December, according to the state’s chief epidemiologist.

Diphtheria causes breathing difficulties, heart failure and paralysis. The people most at risk are unvaccinated or live in areas with poor sanitation.

Nigeria has not had a diphtheria outbreak of this magnitude in recent years. The nation’s capacity to diagnose the disease and treat patients is limited in many remote areas.

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