…..Govt rolls out mass vaccination to curtail scourge
At least 10 kids have died following a diphtheria outbreak in Niger State, prompting the government to launch an emergency mass vaccination and public-awareness campaign.
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Tertiary Health, Dr. Mohammed Gana, confirmed the deaths in Bida Local Government Area, blaming the high toll on parents’ refusal to vaccinate their children.
It was gathered that some communities in Lapai and Agaie have reported some deaths since the outbreak began.
It was learnt that the affected children were rushed to the Federal Medical Centre in Bida, but a shortage of drugs hindered treatment, leading to the fatalities.
In a separate statement, the Director of Public Health, state Ministry of Secondary and Tertiary Health, Dr Ibrahim Idris, said it is working with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), World Health Organization (WHO), UNICEF, SYDANY Group and the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) to curb the outbreak.
Idris announced that Rapid Response Teams have been deployed for active case detection, treatment and follow-up, while mass vaccination has commenced in Bida and surrounding communities, focusing on children most at risk.
The ministry said diphtheria is a vaccine-preventable bacterial disease that causes fever, sore throat, cough and, in severe cases, life-threatening airway blockage stressing that even the loss of a child to a vaccine-preventable disease is one loss too many.
To counter misinformation, Idris said radio messages in English, Hausa and Nupe are airing on Radio Nigeria Power FM Bida while religious leaders, traditional rulers and town announcers are also engaging communities to promote vaccine acceptance.
The government urged parents and guardians to take their children to Primary Health Care centres, where immunisation is free, safe and available adding that it will stop the further spread of the disease.
