Katsina intensifies diphtheria response across 29 local government areas
Katsina State is expanding its response to a diphtheria outbreak, with suspected cases now reported in 29 local government areas. Dr. Shema'u Kabir, Acting Executive Secretary of the Katsina State Primary Health Care Development Agency, stated that Funtua has the highest burden, with Kankia, Bakori, Katsina, Mashi, and Daura also severely affected. The government has initiated a reactive vaccination campaign in 15 high-risk wards, administering Td vaccines to 67,670 eligible individuals and Pentavalent vaccines to 24,103 children within the first three days. An additional 650,000 doses of diphtheria-containing vaccines have been secured for high-risk communities. Three new isolation centers have been established to supplement the NCDC-supported facility at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Katsina, with medical supplies being deployed to affected areas. Challenges include suboptimal vaccination uptake, delayed hospital presentation, and the porous border with Niger Republic. The government is combining vaccination with active case searches, contact tracing, chemoprophylaxis, enhanced surveillance, and health worker training. Dr. Kabir urged parents not to delay seeking care and advised residents experiencing symptoms such as sore throat, fever, difficulty swallowing or breathing, neck swelling, or a thick grayish/whitish membrane in the throat, tonsils, or nose to report immediately to the nearest health facility. Communities are encouraged to cooperate with vaccination and surv
