Diphtheria Outbreak: Katsina Vaccinates 150,000 as Children Face Growing Health Threat
In response to the diphtheria outbreak in the communities of Katsina State, 150,346 people have been vaccinated in the state in five days.
The vaccination campaign started on August 25 and is ongoing in 15 high-risk wards in Bakori, Charanchi, Funtua, Mashi and Kankia Local Government Areas.
The Chief Press Secretary to the Katsina State Governor, Ibrahim Kaula Mohammed, said 51,310 children were given the Pentavalent vaccine and 99,036 people between the ages of five and 15 were administered the Tetanus-Diphtheria (Td) vaccine.
The intervention follows the reported suspected cases of diphtheria in 29 out of the 34 local government areas in Katsina, with Funtua having the highest number of cases.
The campaign is currently targeting 114,570 children aged six months to five years for Pentavalent vaccination and 146,075 people aged five to 15 for diphtheria containing vaccination, the state government said.
The government has also procured an additional 650,000 doses of diphtheria containing vaccines to be used in other affected and high-risk communities to strengthen the response.
Three other isolation centres have also been set up to complement the one at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Katsina, supported by the NCDC.
Health authorities and development partners continue to monitor, trace, manage cases and mobilise communities.
The response is coordinated with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention and other development partners to prevent the spread of the disease and safeguard children and other vulnerable groups.
