The Katsina State Government has opened an additional isolation and treatment centre for diphtheria patients as part of efforts to contain the outbreak and strengthen healthcare delivery in the state.
The centre, located at the General Amadi Rimi Specialist Orthopaedic Hospital in Katsina, is expected to ease pressure on the Federal Teaching Hospital Katsina (FTHK), where the existing diphtheria isolation facility has reached full capacity
The State Commissioner for Health, Musa Adamu Funtua, inaugurated the facility on behalf of Governor Dikko Umaru Radda.
He said; “similar isolation centres had been established in the Funtua and Daura zones to bring treatment and response services closer to affected communities.”
The Commissioner explained that “the measure was part of the state government’s broader efforts to complement the Nigerian Government’s response to the diphtheria outbreak through expanded treatment capacity, vaccination and other preventive measures.”
The Acting Executive Secretary of the Katsina State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr Shaima’u Abba Kabir, said; “the isolation centre at FTHK had only 16 beds, all of which were currently occupied.”
She explained that the limited bed capacity had contributed to the perception of overcrowding at the hospital, stressing that the establishment of additional centres would help address the situation.
Dr Abba Kabir said; “67,670 people had so far received diphtheria vaccination across Katsina State as part of ongoing efforts to prevent further transmission of the disease.”
She urged residents to take advantage of available vaccination services and adhere to public health advice to help curb the spread of the disease.
The opening of the additional centre is expected to strengthen coordination between state and federal health authorities in managing diphtheria cases, while improving access to timely treatment for affected residents.
