Halt Diphtheria Spread, Senate Urges Health Ministry, Disease Control Agencies 

Sunday Aborisade in Abuja

The Senate on Wednesday passed a resolution, calling on the Federal Ministry of Health, National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) to put an end to further spread of Diphtheria in Nigeria.

The upper legislative chamber also urged the Federal Government to increase funding of all institutions involved in the production and distribution of vaccines.

This, it noted, was to effectively tackle the prevalence of communicable diseases in Nigeria.

The red chamber, as part of its resolution, directed relevant agencies to carry out a nationwide vaccination to curb the spread of Diphtheria in the country.

The Senate’s decision followed the consideration and adoption of a motion sponsored by Senator Sunday Katung representing Kaduna South Senatorial district.

Katung raised the alarm over the spread of Diphtheria in Kaduna State which has resulted to several deaths in the state and its environs.

He noted that the airborne disease, which can also be transmitted via fluid exchange, has become a major health challenge that requires urgent government attention.

He said the Kaduna State Government has confirmed that the death toll from the Diphtheria outbreak in the state has risen to 17 with 68 suspected cases identified across the state as at Sunday, July 23, 2023.

He noted that a breakdown showed that 10 people have reportedly died from the disease in Kafanchan, Jema’a Local Government Area of Kaduna State, while three children died in Makarfi Local Government Area, and seven others were hospitalized.

He also disclosed that Diphtheria is a highly contagious, infectious disease caused by a bacterium called Corynebacterium Diphtheria rendering infected people struck with serious breathing and swallowing problems that may develop sores on the skin.

He said: “The highly contagious nature of the disease means that without immediate and concerted efforts towards curbing it, the disease would spread at a devastating rate especially considering the communal and poor living conditions in most rural communities in Nigeria.”

In his contribution to the motion, Senator Darlington Nwokocha, representing Abia Central Senatorial district, lamented the state of government-controlled hospitals in the country especially the National Hospital in Abuja.

He said Nigeria should stop fire brigade  approach to issues of health in the country, while urging the Senate to suspend plenary one day and pay a visit to the National Hospital to assess the level of decay and poor medical facilities of the hospital.

After the debate on the motion, the Senate unanimously urged all relevant health agencies in the country to liaise with health ministries in Kaduna and other neighbouring states to intensify contact tracing with a view to curbing Diphtheria spread.