The Ministry of Health in Jigawa State has officially confirmed the presence of a diphtheria outbreak in the state, with a concerning 91 suspected cases and 10 fatalities.
Dr. Salisu Mu’azu, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, disclosed this information during a press briefing in Dutse on Friday.
Dr. Mu’azu further revealed that two confirmed cases of diphtheria had been identified in Kazaure and Jahun Local Government Areas, with additional samples sent to Abuja for further examination.
Notably, the outbreak seems to have impacted areas where routine immunization coverage was insufficient.
The Permanent Secretary emphasized the state government’s proactive response to the situation, especially following reports of diphtheria outbreaks in neighboring states such as Kano and Yobe.
He highlighted that the Ministry had diligently collected critical information and data from the affected regions and promptly notified the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency and the National Disease Control for coordinated intervention.
Furthermore, Dr. Mu’azu stated that the state government was actively preparing to administer vaccines once they become available to address the outbreak.
He attributed the outbreak partly to disruptions in healthcare services caused by the COVID-19 pandemic a few years ago, which resulted in the suspension of routine immunization efforts.
This suspension left the population vulnerable to preventable diseases like diphtheria.
