FG Activates Emergency Task Force to Contain Diphtheria Outbreak in Katsina, Kano

The Federal Government has activated an emergency multi-agency task force to contain the outbreak of diphtheria among children in parts of Katsina and Kano States.

The move is aimed at strengthening disease surveillance, closing immunisation gaps and ensuring affected children have timely access to appropriate treatment.

The directive was issued by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, as part of the Federal Government’s efforts to protect Nigerian children from vaccine-preventable diseases and strengthen the nation’s capacity to respond effectively to disease outbreaks.

The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, in collaboration with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), affected state governments and international health partners, has constituted the multi-agency task force to coordinate the emergency response.

The task force will be co-chaired by the Director-General of the NCDC and the Director of Public Health, with representatives from the NPHCDA, the Commissioners for Health of Katsina, Kano, Zamfara and Sokoto States, the World Health Organisation (WHO), UNICEF and the National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control Programme in Katsina State.

The Ministry’s Chief Epidemiologist will serve as Secretary.

The task force has been directed to take immediate action in three key areas.

Intensified Surveillance and Immunisation

The team will conduct outbreak investigations, strengthen disease surveillance and intensify community sensitisation campaigns to identify and immunise unvaccinated children in affected and high-risk communities.

As part of the immediate response, the NPHCDA has deployed 500,000 doses of vaccines to Katsina and Kano States to support intensified immunisation activities.

Expanded Access to Treatment

The task force will work with the Katsina State Government to establish treatment annexes in hospitals across the state’s three senatorial districts — Katsina, Daura and Funtua.

The initiative is expected to bring treatment closer to affected communities and facilitate early intervention for suspected and confirmed cases.

Emergency Support for Referral Care

Urgent support will also be mobilised to the Federal Teaching Hospital, Katsina, which serves as the principal referral centre for the state and neighbouring areas.

The support will include Diphtheria Antitoxin (DAT), intravenous antibiotics, additional clinical personnel and personal protective equipment (PPE) for healthcare workers.

The task force is expected to provide weekly updates to the Coordinating Minister on the progress of the response, emerging challenges and additional requirements.

Any identified bottlenecks will be escalated for immediate resolution to ensure a swift and coordinated response.

The Federal Government reaffirmed its commitment to protecting Nigerian children from vaccine-preventable diseases, stressing that the response to the diphtheria outbreak will remain swift, coordinated and evidence-based until the outbreak is brought under control.