Vaccination efforts underway – NPHCDA, as diphtheria spreads to 18 states with 453 confirmed deaths

National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) has assured that urgent vaccination efforts were underway to address the recent Diphtheria outbreak across several states with over 11,000 suspected case reported.

Executive Director of NPHCDA, Dr Faisal Shuaib, who gave the assurance, Monday in Abuja, said that since the confirmation of the re-emergence of diphtheria, the Federal Government had continued to respond to the outbreaks across different states.

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) says it has officially recorded 11,587 suspected cases of diphtheria in the country with 7,202 confirmed cases from 105 local government areas (LGAs) in 18 states, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The NCDC said the figures are contained in its report on the disease.

Diphtheria is a dangerous infection caused by a toxin-producing bacteria called Corynebacterium diphtheriae. It is a vaccine-preventable disease that is protected by one of the vaccines frequently offered as part of Nigeria’s pediatric immunisation programme.

“Most (6,185) of the confirmed cases were recorded in Kano. Other States with cases are Yobe (640), Katsina (213), Borno (95), Kaduna (16), Jigawa (14), Bauchi (8), Lagos (8), FCT (5), Gombe (5), Osun (3), Sokoto (3), Niger (2), Cross River (1), Enugu (1), Imo (1), Nasarawa (1) and Zamfara (1),” the statement said.

The majority of confirmed cases – 5,299 (73.6 percent) – occurred among children aged one to 14 years, with those aged five to 14 suffering the brunt of the disease.

“So far, 453 people have died in confirmed cases, with a case fatality rate (CFR) of 6.3%,” the NCDC statement continued.

It also stated in response to an escalating outbreak involving 80 percent unvaccinated cases, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Muhammad Pate, established a national emergency task team.

The team is said to be co-chaired by the Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) and the Director General of NCDC for higher level coordination of outbreak response.

In the National Response to the Country’s Diphtheria Outbreak, the NCDC said since the epidemic was confirmed, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare (FMOH&SW) has been coordinating surveillance and response actions around the country through its various agencies.

It further stated that the group would be “ensuring optimal collaboration of all relevant health stakeholders in this fight.”

Also, reporting on the fast spread of the disease, the NPHCDA Executive Director, Shuaib said: “So far, a total of 453 deaths have occurred in confirmed cases, giving a case fatality rate (CFR) of 6.3 per cent.”

He said that given the escalation of the outbreak and findings that 80 per cent of confirmed cases were unvaccinated, the Coordinating Minister of the FMOH&SW, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, set up a national emergency task team co-chaired by himself.

“I am chairing the task force alongside the Director-General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) for higher level coordination of outbreak response efforts.

“This includes ensuring optimal collaboration of all relevant health stakeholders in this fight.

“Other prominent members of the task force include the director of public health in FMOH, representatives of the Federal Ministry of Information, World Health Organisation (WHO), UNICEF, USCDC, USAID, GAVI, other non-governmental organisations and development partners.”

Shuaib quoted the minister as saying, “Diphtheria was caused by a toxin produced by bacteria, Corynebacterium diphtheriae, and it was a vaccine-preventable disease covered by one of the vaccines provided routinely through the country’s childhood immunisation schedule.”

He said since the confirmation of the outbreak, the FMOH&SW through its agencies had been coordinating surveillance and response activities across the country.

“These include response coordination, surveillance, laboratory investigation, vaccination, case management and risk communication activities.”

Shuaib said that the activities included establishment of Diphtheria Emergency Task Team responsible for the overall coordination of all activities encompassing government and development partners’ response activities at national and sub-national levels.

He added that the activities included implementation of an Incident Management System (IMS) through the activation of a National Diphtheria Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) at NCDC, tasked with orchestrating the coordinated efforts of multiple response pillars during the outbreak, as well as deployment of national rapid response teams to affected states.

“Development of draft National Diphtheria Surveillance and Response guidelines.

Sensitisation/training of clinical and surveillance officers on the presentation, prevention, and surveillance of diphtheria.

“Harmonisation of surveillance and laboratory data from across states and labs.

With support from partners and in collaboration with the State Ministry of Health, Diphtheria Treatment Centres/Wards have been established in affected states,” he said.

He said that intensification of routine diphtheria immunisation and reactive vaccination campaigns in 33 local government areas across five states, Bauchi, Katsina, Yobe, Kano and Kaduna, by the NPHCDA, was also part of the response activities.

He advised that parents should ensure full vaccination that their children were fully vaccinated against diphtheria with the three doses of diphtheria antitoxin-containing pentavalent vaccine given as part of Nigeria’s childhood immunisation schedule.

“Healthcare workers should maintain a high index of suspicion for diphtheria and practice standard infection prevention and control precautions, while handling all patients in their care.

“All healthcare workers (doctors, nurses, laboratory scientists, support staff, etc.) with a high level of exposure to cases of diphtheria should be vaccinated against diphtheria.

“Individuals with signs and symptoms suggestive of diphtheria should promptly present to a healthcare facility or designated diphtheria treatment centres.

“Close contact with a confirmed case of diphtheria should be closely monitored and managed according to guidelines.’’

Shuaib said that the most effective protection against diphtheria was vaccination with the Pentavalent or TD vaccine.

“The Federal Government of Nigeria provides free, safe and effective vaccines at all primary healthcare centres nationwide.

“We invite the public to take advantage of the ongoing vaccination occurring in all states.

“Parents are kindly advised to take their children aged zero– 14 years to the nearest government health facility to get vaccinated following the routine immunisation schedule and ongoing reactive vaccination campaign in the affected local government areas,” he said.