Diphtheria Outbreak Claims 10 Children in Niger State

At least 10 children have lost their lives following a diphtheria outbreak in Niger State, affecting communities in Agaie and Bida Local Government Areas.

Reports indicate that the children were rushed to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Bida, where they died due to lack of sufficient drugs required for treatment. Sources within the councils revealed that additional deaths have also been recorded in some communities in the affected LGAs since the outbreak began.

A source from Bida disclosed:

“The figure is high because children are dying almost on a daily basis since the outbreak occurred in these two local government areas. This is a matter of life and death and we plead with the state government to, as a matter of urgency, provide drugs to the Bida and Agaie general hospitals to curb the spread of the disease to other local government areas and communities in the state.”

When contacted, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Tertiary Health Care, Dr. Mohammed Gana, confirmed the outbreak but declined to give casualty figures.

“Yes, there is an outbreak of diphtheria in these local government areas and we are doing everything possible to put the spread under control. The high death toll was as a result of some parents refusing to submit their children for vaccination in the affected areas, but we are grateful to various partners for coming to the assistance of the state with the provision of medicaments,” Gana said.

He added that the situation has now been brought under control.