The Niger state Commissioner of Health, Dr. Murtala Muhammad Bagana, said this weekend that the outbreak of diphtheria in parts of the state has been curtailed, having discharged 103 patients out of 124 admitted while 17 deaths were recorded.
The commissioner stated this in a media parley in Minna weekend, saying that only one patient is currently on admission.
He said, “Government has strengthened disease surveillance, case management, immunization and public awareness to curtail the disease and prevent further transmission”.
Bagana expressed dismay over the attitude of parents who deprived their children immunization vaccinations to prevent childhood diseases such as diphtheria, measles and other vaccine-preventable infections, adding that, “this was mainly responsible for the spread of the diphtheria disease outbreak in the state”.
“However, the spread of the disease has been curtailed in Bida, Suleja and Shiroro local governments of the state. I can confirm that 124 cases of infection in three local government areas were recorded in the last seven months and 103 people have been treated and discharged. Unfortunately, 17 people died.”