Diphtheria
EU allocates N75m to Nigeria to combat diphtheria in Kano, Lagos, Osun, Katsina
European Union (EU), Monday, released the sum of €150,000 (N75 million) in humanitarian funds to combat the fast spreading diphtheria disease cases recorded since the beginning of 2023 in Nigeria, with the beneficiary states identified as; Kano, Katsina, Lagos, and Osun.
“On 20 January 2023, the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) officially declared an outbreak of diphtheria in Kano and Lagos states after several suspected cases appeared a month earlier. The disease then spread rapidly to other states. From 136 cases in the first week of 2023, the country now records a total of 733 suspected cases, and deplores 89 fatalities.
“The outbreak is described as one of the most serious occurrences in Nigeria in recent years. Children aged between 5 and 18 years are the most vulnerable group,” EU said.
According to the EU, fund is also to assist the most affected communities in the four states of the country.
This EU funding will further enable the Nigerian Red Cross to provide emergency assistance to reduce the impact of diphtheria on affected and at-risk communities through risk communication, outbreak control activities, surveillance, patient referral and hygiene promotion, and early case detection in affected areas.
Continuing, EU said the funding will enable the Nigerian Red Cross to provide emergency assistance to reduce the impact of diphtheria on affected and at-risk communities through risk communication, outbreak control activities, surveillance, patient referral and hygiene promotion, and early case detection in affected areas.
“Humanitarian assistance will directly and indirectly target around 1,585,080 people, with a particular focus on vulnerable people at risk of diphtheria, those living in sheltered communities or hard-to-reach locations.
“This funding is part of the EU’s overall contribution to the Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC),” EU said.
According to the EU, the N75 million funding is fallout of that agreement which overall to the tune of €3million and is aimed to support the Federation’s Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF).
Funds from the DREF are mainly allocated to ‘small-scale’ disasters, those that do not give rise to a formal international appeal.
Diphtheria is a highly contagious bacterial infection transmitted between humans. It causes an infection of the upper respiratory tract, which can lead to breathing difficulties and suffocation. Those most at risk are children and people who have not been fully vaccinated against the disease.
