The Katsina State Government has vaccinated 67,670 eligible residents against diphtheria and obtained 650,000 additional vaccine doses as it steps up efforts to contain an outbreak reported in 29 local government areas.
The Executive Secretary of the Katsina State Primary Health Care Development Agency (KSPHCDA), Dr Shaimau Abba, disclosed this at a press briefing in Katsina on Sunday.
Abba said health authorities had recorded suspected diphtheria cases in 29 of the state’s 34 local government areas as of Epidemiological Week 35, which ended on Aug. 28.
She listed Funtua as the worst-affected area, followed by Kankia, Bakori, Katsina, Mashi and Daura.
The executive secretary described the outbreak as a major public health concern but said the state government had activated measures to contain transmission, prevent complications and reduce deaths.
She explained that diphtheria is a preventable infectious disease that primarily affects the respiratory system and spreads from person to person, particularly in communities with low vaccination rates.
“Early detection, immediate treatment, vaccination and strict infection-prevention measures remain critical to controlling the disease,” Abba said.
She said Gov. Dikko Radda had directed the State Emergency Preparedness and Rapid Response Team and KSPHCDA to coordinate the response.
The response also involves the State Ministry of Health, National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) and development partners.
Abba said authorities had activated the emergency response structure under the Incident Management System, with surveillance and response teams working continuously across affected communities.
She said health officials had intensified surveillance, traced contacts, documented suspected cases, reviewed outbreak data and provided preventive medication to identified contacts.
According to her, authorities launched a reactive vaccination campaign on Aug. 25 across 15 high-risk wards in Bakori, Charanchi, Funtua, Mashi and Kankia Local Government Areas.
“The campaign is being implemented in partnership with NPHCDA, with logistical support from UNICEF.
“Within the first three days of the exercise, 67,670 eligible persons received Td vaccines, while 24,103 children were administered Pentavalent vaccines across the five participating local government areas,” she said.
Abba attributed the strong turnout to house-to-house mobilization and the involvement of traditional leaders and other community stakeholders.
She added that close monitoring by government health officials and development partners had also helped the campaign achieve the early results.
The executive secretary further disclosed that the state had secured 650,000 additional doses of diphtheria-containing vaccines to expand the emergency immunization campaign.
She said the new supplies would allow health authorities to quickly vaccinate people in affected communities and protect residents considered vulnerable to the disease.
Abba urged residents to cooperate with vaccination teams and health workers, stressing that community support remained essential to stopping transmission.
She also advised parents and caregivers to ensure that eligible children receive their routine childhood vaccinations and urged residents to promptly report suspected diphtheria cases to health facilities.
The executive secretary assured residents that surveillance, treatment and vaccination efforts would continue until authorities bring the outbreak under control.
She stressed that sustained collaboration among government agencies, health workers, communities, traditional and religious leaders and development partners would remain crucial to protecting lives and preventing further spread.
