Diphtheria Outbreak: 11 die in days as Niger records 124 cases

No less than 11 radical person died from diphtheria successful Niger State wrong the past fewer days, raising caller concerns implicit the dispersed of the perchance deadly illness successful Chanchaga and Katcha Local Government Areas.

The latest fatalities are portion of the 17 deaths recorded from 124 confirmed diphtheria cases successful the authorities betwixt January and aboriginal August.

The Niger State Primary Health Care Development Agency, NSPHCDA, said 74 patients person truthful acold been treated and discharged from focal areas successful Bida and Agaie Local Government Areas, portion surveillance has been stepped up successful Suleja.

Executive Director of the agency, Dr Junaidu Inuwa, blamed portion of the rising casualty complaint connected the nonaccomplishment of immoderate parents and guardians to person their children vaccinated.

Inuwa spoke successful Minna during a two-day capacity-building store for Ward Development Committees, WDCs, connected Community Engagement and Accountability to Affected Population, organised by the NSPHCDA successful collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF.

He said the existent outbreak successful Chanchaga and Katcha requires stronger assemblage mobilisation, peculiarly arsenic vaccination remained 1 of the cardinal measures for preventing diphtheria.

“In astir cases, parents are not immuni...