The Zamfara State Ministry of Health, with support from Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), has commenced a house-to-house response to the diphtheria outbreak in Gusau Local Government Area.
The ministry’s Public Relations Officer, Suleiman Isah, said the exercise was aimed at strengthening early detection of suspected diphtheria cases, preventing further transmission and ensuring prompt referral of suspected cases for treatment.
He explained that health teams were conducting active case searches in communities while educating residents on the signs and symptoms of diphtheria and the importance of seeking medical attention promptly.
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Suspected cases identified during the exercise are being referred to designated treatment centres, including the Infectious Diseases Centre (IDC), Damba, and the Primary Health Care (PHC) Centre, Kwata, for free, quality, impartial and dignified healthcare.
Isah noted that the intervention also included the provision of food for patients and caregivers, as well as further assessment and management of suspected cases.
He added that the exercise was designed to strengthen infection prevention and control (IPC) measures, enhance the capacity of local health workers and support efforts to interrupt the transmission of diphtheria in communities.
Attention is also being given to improving water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) facilities at treatment centres to promote safe infection prevention and control practices.
The Director of Public Health, Dr Yusuf Abubakar Haske, commended the initiative and reiterated the government’s commitment to prioritising public health safety and effectively containing disease outbreaks across the state.
The ministry and MSF urged residents of Gusau to cooperate with response teams and promptly report suspected diphtheria cases to health authorities for early assessment and appropriate treatment.
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