Diphtheria: Nasarawa state begins contact tracing

Following the death of four children due to diphtheria, the Nasarawa State Government has begun tracing other children who had been in touch with the deceased to offer them treatment.

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Ishaya Amegwa, the State Health Educator, announced this during the State Social Mobilisation Technical Working Group meeting in Lafia, the state capital.

Amegwa, who revealed that the state government was partnering with the World Health Organisation, asked parents and guardians to make routine immunisations available to their children in the state to protect them from disease.

“The Nasarawa State Government, in collaboration with the World Health Organisation, has started contact tracing of children who have been affected by the disease to offer them preventable medication,” he stated.

The State Health Educator, however, urged members of the Technical Working Group including representatives of the State Ministry of Education, Media and interfaith forum to intensify awareness creation on trending health issues to change the behaviours of the residents.