The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has reported a significant reduction in diphtheria cases during the ongoing outbreak in the country.
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This was disclosed to newsmen at the National IntraAction Review Meeting on diphtheria held in Kaduna State where stakeholders gathered to evaluate current strategies in combating the outbreak and to identify areas that require further improvement.
Key participants, including the Red Cross, the International Federation of Red Cross, IFRC, and representatives from sub-national bodies, shared their experiences in managing diphtheria cases and provided updates on state-level responses.
The officials highlighted the need for increased public awareness about vaccination and the importance of active case-finding.
According to Doctor Muzammil Gadanya,
National Incident Manager Diphtheria Operation Center, NCDC, the officials at the meeting have however emphasized the need for continued efforts to sustain progress in containing the disease.
“It is hoped that the discussions and insights from this review meeting will play a crucial role in further mitigating the diphtheria epidemic in Nigeria.”
“On the investment that we have been able to do so far, the NCDC have been able to show leadership by getting stocks, especially the vaccines that are readily available and being deployed to states. So the NCDC leadership is leading in coordinating other partners in curtailing the outbreak across the country”.
Gadanya urged stakeholders to create awareness on the preventive measures of diphtheria especially because it’s a vaccine preventable disease.
“It means that if anyone takes the vaccine, you are assured of a reasonable 87% degree of not contacting the infection. The vaccine are available even at the primary health care centers and if taken, an entire family can be secured.”
“There is also the need to educate people on the need to break the chain of infection amongst them at the initial level by encouraging them to wash their hands, creating distance from a person who is coughing, and those with respiratory symptoms should wear mask”.
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