According to the NPHCDA, 97% of all reported cases of diphtheria were found in just 6 states.

In a recent address at the Diphtheria Outbreak Response Press Conference in Abuja, I, Dr. Faisal Shuaib, the director general of the agency, highlighted the grim reality faced by six Nigerian states—Kano, Yobe, Katsina, Borno, Kaduna, and Bauchi. These states, as I emphasized, are grappling with the overwhelming burden of a Diphtheria outbreak, with Kano alone bearing over 84% of the reported cases, establishing itself as the epicenter of this health crisis.

It’s disheartening to witness Diphtheria, a preventable disease, cast its dark shadow over our communities, particularly affecting our most vulnerable citizens—our children. In response, our agency has undertaken rapid and comprehensive vaccination campaigns across the affected regions, with a laser focus on the epicenter of the outbreak.

Kano, being at the forefront of this outbreak, has been the primary target of our vaccination efforts. Collaborating with state governments, we executed rounds 1 and 2 of the vaccination campaign in high-burden local government areas in February and April 2023, respectively. Round 3 integrated with routine immunization intensification, and additional reactive vaccination exercises were conducted in the last week of August in eight more LGAs in Kano.

Facing a public health challenge of this magnitude requires unwavering attention and swift action. Diphtheria’s impact on our communities, especially our children, is a call to unite and confront this crisis head-on. The statistics are staggering, with the six mentioned states accounting for 97% of all reported cases, and Kano bearing the brunt at over 84%. Shockingly, over 73% of cases occur in children aged 1 to 14 years, and only about 18% of those affected had received any vaccinations.

Recognizing the severity of the situation, the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare established a national emergency task team for higher-level coordination of outbreak response efforts. This includes collaboration with political, religious, and traditional leaders. The response reflects the commitment to providing quality healthcare for all Nigerians, echoing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Hope agenda.

Vaccination emerges as our most formidable weapon in this battle. We have deployed two vaccines—the Pentavalent vaccine for children aged 6 weeks to 4 years and the Tetanus-diphtheria (Td) vaccine for those above 4 years to 14 years. Beyond Kano, our response expanded to include Kaduna, Katsina, Bauchi, and Yobe in Phase One, with significant numbers reached in the August 2023 vaccination campaigns.

The Phase 2 Round 1 of the Diphtheria outbreak response commenced in seven high-burden states, with ongoing efforts to engage communities, address concerns, and build trust. Vaccination is not just about administering shots; it’s about fostering community engagement and building trust. Our tireless teams continue to conduct sensitization campaigns targeting health workers, opinion leaders, traditional and religious leaders, schools, and community members.

As we focus on controlling the immediate crisis, our vision extends beyond. We are committed to strengthening healthcare systems, ensuring vaccine availability, and enhancing our capacity to respond to future outbreaks. Collaboration with Gavi, the vaccine alliance, and development partners is underway to expedite the procurement and delivery of more vaccines to combat this outbreak. Together, we stand resilient in the face of this public health challenge, with vaccination as our beacon of hope.