By Princess Simon (Bureau Chief North Central, in Minna)
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), United Nations Children’s Education Fund (UNICEF) are partnering Niger state government to check the spread of suspected diphtheria in the state.
The NCDC representative, Dr. Ali Wada Idris disclosed this when he spoke to journalists on efforts made by the federal government to check case of suspected diphtheria in Niger state, stating the Centre will maintain collaborations with the state government to check suspected outbreak to safeguard public health.
Dr. Wada told journalists during a two-day training on Infections Prevention and Control (IPC) and Case Management during Disease Outbreaks organized by the UNICEF with funding from the United States Government, that with the outbreak in Niger state resulted in the NCDC commencing training and equipping of IPC focal persons with facility-specific preparedness and response plans to strengthen not only detection but how to prevent and manage the outbreaks according to national guidelines.
“The NCDC is committed to supporting Niger state through the provision of medical commodities, treatment supplies, and as well, technical expertise to strengthen preparedness for disease outbreak and response”.
The IPC focal persons and clinicians, he said are drawn from across the 25 LGAs of the state, adding that strengthening infection prevention and control measures in healthcare facilities is critical to reducing the spread of infectious diseases, and as well protecting both health workers and patients.
Also speaking, Director of Public Health, Niger State Ministry of Health, Dr. Ibrahim Idris, who confirmed the existence of suspected diphtheria said the first case was reported at Fadikpe, western by-pass, Minna and a child lost.
Another case of diphteria was however lucky as the victim recovered while two others showing the symptoms of the disease were evacuated to a hospital for examination and proper medical care.
He said, “Preliminary investigations by health officials indicated that symptoms of the disease initially claimed to be an unknown is likely diphtheria.”.
“A team from the Ministry and partners visited the affected community, interacted with residents, examined some of the patients and collected blood samples for laboratory confirmation".
“Currently, surveillance and response efforts are ongoing in the affected areas and preliminary findings also showed that some of the affected children were either partially immunized or had not received the diphtheria vaccine.”
Dr. Idris who debunked the impressions that the ailment has some spiritual and cultural colourations emphasized that diphtheria is a vaccine-preventable disease and therefore encouraged parents and caregivers to ensure that their children complete scheduled routine immunization.
Assuring that the state Ministry of Health is closely monitoring the situation, Dr. Idris called for calm while laboratory results is being awaited.
Also speaking, the representative of UNICEF while reiterating their commitments towards supporting the state in tackling outbreak said complete immunisation remains the most effective and safest protection against vaccine-preventable diseases.
He therefore called on parents to take advantage of available immunizations services at health facilities across the state to ensure that their children does not fall victim of such diseases. NNL.
