The Federal Government has sent 500,000 doses of diphtheria vaccine to Katsina and Kano states as part of an emergency response to an outbreak affecting children in the two states.
The vaccines are being deployed to boost immunisation among children who are unvaccinated or inadequately protected, while an emergency task force has been activated to contain the outbreak and prevent further transmission.
The intervention covers affected and high-risk communities across Katsina and Kano. Katsina will also establish treatment annexes in hospitals across its three senatorial districts, Katsina, Daura and Funtua, to improve access to care.
The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare disclosed this in a statement signed by its Assistant Director, Information and Public Relations, Ado Bako, in Abuja on Friday.
According to the ministry, the National Primary Health Care Development Agency supplied the vaccines to support intensified immunisation campaigns in communities affected by or vulnerable to the outbreak.
The government said the emergency task force was established jointly by the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), NPHCDA, the affected state governments and international health partners.
It said the response would focus on three areas: containing the outbreak through vaccination and surveillance, expanding access to treatment and strengthening referral services for patients requiring specialised care.
The ministry also directed health officials to investigate new cases, improve disease monitoring and intensify public awareness campaigns to identify children who have not received adequate protection against diphtheria.
In Katsina, the planned treatment annexes are expected to reduce delays in accessing medical care and allow earlier intervention for children who develop symptoms of the disease.
The Federal Teaching Hospital, Katsina, has also been designated for additional emergency support because it serves as the major referral facility for the state and neighbouring areas.
The ministry said the hospital would receive supplies including Diphtheria Antitoxin, intravenous antibiotics and personal protective equipment, as well as additional clinical personnel to strengthen its capacity to manage severe cases.
The task force will be co-chaired by the Director-General of the NCDC and the Director of Public Health, with representatives from NPHCDA, the health ministries of Katsina, Kano, Zamfara and Sokoto states, the World Health Organisation and UNICEF.
The Chief Epidemiologist of the ministry will serve as secretary, while the team is expected to submit weekly reports on progress, emerging challenges and additional needs to the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof Muhammad Ali Pate.
The Federal Government said the coordinated intervention was aimed at protecting children from vaccine-preventable diseases and ensuring that communities affected by the outbreak receive timely medical assistance.
“The Federal Government reaffirms its resolve to protect Nigerian children from vaccine-preventable diseases and remains committed to a swift, coordinated and evidence-based response to bring the outbreak under control,” the ministry said.