The National Primary Healthcare Development Agency, has confirmed that 117 children died following a diphtheria outbreak in Yobe in 2022.
The Healthcare agency, said that 1,600 children had recovered from the disease within the period under review.
The Executive-Director of the Agency, Dr Faisal Shuaib, disclosed this during an inspection visit to the Diphtheria isolation centre in Potiskum, the epicentre of the disease in the state.
He noted that 1,796 suspected cases of diphtheria disease had been reported in Yobe since November 2022, adding that the disease was more prevalent among children age five to 14 years.
“By October 12, more vulnerable kids will be provided with vaccines to curtail the disease. Vaccines are powerful, they are safe and they work.
“Diphtheria is a disease of ancient times; with vaccination, deaths are preventable,” he said.
Shuaib stated that low vaccination was responsible for the recent outbreak of the disease across the country.
“In 2016 and 2017; MICS NICS survey, an independent survey of National Bureau of Statistics, indicated that only 33% of Nigerians were covered by vaccinations.
Due to concerted efforts by the Federal Government and development partners, the figure rose to 70% in 2019.
“But the outbreak of COVID-19 which prevented many people from taking their children for vaccination due to lockdown and fear of contracting COVID-19, there was a deep in coverage down to 57 %,” he added.
