Federal Government Vaccinates Over 4.9 Million Children as Diphtheria Cases Reach 9,478

• The Federal Government of Nigeria successfully vaccinated over 4,859,181 children in response to the diphtheria outbreak across affected states
• The vaccination campaign, led by the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, aimed to protect children and mitigate the outbreak’s impact

The Federal Government of Nigeria has announced the successful vaccination of more than 4,859,181 children in the second phase of its response to the diphtheria outbreak. This massive vaccination campaign utilized vaccines across states affected by the outbreak.

Dr. Faisal Shuaib, the Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), revealed this significant achievement during a National Diphtheria Taskforce news briefing in Abuja.

The announcement coincided with a statement by Dr. Ifedayo Adetifa, the Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), who reported that, as of October 19, there had been 15,060 suspected cases of diphtheria, with 9,478 confirmed cases. These cases spanned 137 local government areas in 20 states, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Dr. Adetifa highlighted that 1,692,762 children aged 6 months to 4 years had been diligently administered the Pentavalent vaccine, a crucial protective measure against diphtheria. Additionally, an impressive 3,166,419 children aged 4 to 14 had received the Td vaccines, further enhancing safeguards against the disease among the youth.

Dr. Shuaib noted that the second phase, round one of the Outbreak Response using diphtheria vaccines, commenced on September 23. This initiative was carried out in seven states, covering 56 local government areas significantly affected by the ongoing diphtheria outbreak.

The epidemic’s epicentre, Kano State, had also actively participated in the vaccination efforts. It vaccinated 1,111,310 children with Td vaccines (Diphtheria and tetanus) and administered Pentavalent vaccines to 544,737 children during the second phase.

The Federal Government’s commitment to addressing the diphtheria outbreak underscores the importance of widespread vaccination to combat preventable diseases and safeguard the health of Nigerian children. The vaccination campaign represents a critical step in mitigating the impact of the outbreak and ensuring the well-being of the nation’s youth.