By Joyce Ekeh
The Nasarawa State Ministry of Health has confirmed 15 cases of diphtheria across three local government areas, with the majority of infections recorded in Keffi.
The Director of Public Health in the state Ministry of Health, Dr Attah Peter, disclosed this in Lafia, the state capital, while speaking on the ongoing outbreak.
According to him, the confirmed cases involve children aged between two months and 11 years, with 11 cases recorded in Keffi, three in Lafia and one in Wamba.
“At the moment, we have recorded and confirmed cases of 15. The age group ranges between two months to 11 years,” Attah said.
“Most of the cases are in Keffi. Out of the 15, one case is from Wamba, and then three from Lafia. So the remaining 11 are all from Keffi.”
Most affected children unvaccinated
Attah attributed the outbreak largely to inadequate vaccination coverage, noting that most of the affected children had not received the recommended immunisations.
He expressed concern that some children remain vulnerable to diphtheria years after they should have received protection through routine immunisation.
“You begin to wonder why an 11-year-old is coming down with diphtheria at this age. Eleven years ago, that caregiver should have taken this child for vaccination. That was not done, and so the child, even at this age, is still vulnerable,” he explained.
He said similar situations had been reported in other parts of the country, including Kano, where adults as old as 50 years had also been affected, particularly those who were not adequately vaccinated.
No deaths recorded this year
The Director said the state had recorded fatalities from diphtheria in the previous year but had not recorded any death from the current outbreak.
“For all the cases that actually presented themselves in the facility, we have not recorded any death. Maybe because of the clinician’s high index of suspicion and then the commencement of treatment early enough,” he said.
He explained that early detection and prompt treatment had contributed to the positive outcome among patients who presented at health facilities.
Vaccines and treatment have also been deployed to the Federal Medical Centre, Keffi; Federal University Teaching Hospital, Lafia; and other designated health facilities to strengthen the state’s response to the outbreak.
Government urges parents to vaccinate children
Attah urged parents and caregivers to take advantage of the free routine immunisation services available at Primary Healthcare Centres across the state.
“The routine immunization is free. It’s just for you to make effort to take this child to where these vaccines are available. They are readily accessible to almost every primary healthcare facility,” he said.
He explained that children are expected to receive routine vaccines from birth through 18 months, including recommended booster doses, stressing that completing the vaccination schedule is essential for sustained protection against vaccine-preventable diseases.
He also encouraged parents to ensure that eligible girls receive the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, which helps protect against cervical cancer.
Know the warning signs
Diphtheria is a serious and highly contagious bacterial infection that can affect the throat and airways. It can cause difficulty breathing and, in severe cases, complications such as heart damage, heart failure and death.
Residents are therefore advised to seek immediate medical attention when a child develops symptoms such as sore throat, fever, weakness or a thick greyish coating or membrane in the throat.
With cases continuing to emerge in parts of the country, health authorities are urging parents and caregivers not to wait for an outbreak before vaccinating their children. Routine childhood vaccination is free at public Primary Healthcare Centres, and completing the recommended schedule remains one of the most effective ways to protect children against diphtheria and other vaccine-preventable diseases.
