Diphtheria: MADEN Healthcare Foundation Urges Urgent Vaccination, Early Treatment as Outbreak Claims Lives

..... Cautions that the concentration of cases in the eight states does not mean other parts of the country are free from risk.

.... Stresses the need for sustained vigilance, vaccination and coordinated public health action nationwide.

..... Commends the Federal Government, NCDC, National Primary Health Care Developments Agency (NPHCDA), state ministries of health and their partners for strengthening surveillance, immunisation, laboratory testing and access to treatment.

The MADEN Healthcare Foundation has called for urgent and coordinated action to contain the ongoing diphtheria outbreak in Nigeria, urging parents and caregivers to ensure that children are fully vaccinated against the vaccine-preventable disease.

The foundation, in a national statement on the outbreak, expressed concern over the reported loss of lives, particularly among children, and extended condolences to affected families.

It said eight states — Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, Borno, Bauchi, Plateau, Sokoto and Zamfara — account for approximately 98 per cent of confirmed diphtheria cases reported nationally, according to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC).

Maden Healthcare Foundation, however, cautioned that the concentration of cases in the eight states does not mean other parts of the country are free from risk, stressing the need for sustained vigilance, vaccination and coordinated public health action nationwide.

The foundation commended the Federal Government, NCDC, National Primary Health Care Developments Agency (NPHCDA), state ministries of health and their partners for strengthening surveillance, immunisation, laboratory testing and access to treatment.

It also acknowledged the temporary closure of public and private primary and secondary schools in Plateau State, effective September 7, 2026, following suspected cases in Jos North, Jos South, Bassa and Wase Local Government Areas.

While noting that school closures could disrupt learning and family routines, MADEN said such precautionary measures should be guided by public health evidence, supported by clear communication and regularly reviewed as the situation evolves.

The foundation urged parents and caregivers to ensure that children receive and complete their recommended routine immunisations, while those with missed or uncertain doses should seek guidance from the nearest primary healthcare centre.

It also called for early recognition and referral of suspected cases, warning that symptoms such as fever, sore throat, swollen neck glands, difficulty swallowing or breathing, and a greyish membrane in the throat require urgent medical assessment.

According to MADEN, suspected cases should not be managed through self-medication or delayed presentation.

The organisation further urged education authorities, schools and communities to strengthen health education, facilitate early identification of suspected cases and establish clear referral and communication channels in collaboration with health authorities.

It called on government and partners to prioritise equitable access to vaccines, diphtheria antitoxin, appropriate antibiotics, laboratory services and trained healthcare personnel, particularly in underserved and high-risk communities.

The foundation also advised Nigerians to rely on verified updates from the NCDC and relevant state ministries of health, warning against the spread of rumours and urging compliance with official public health directives.

MADEN said its state chapters would support risk communication, vaccination awareness, school and community health education and referral activities in collaboration with relevant authorities.

It urged its volunteers to operate within their competencies and established public health structures.

“Diphtheria is a serious but vaccine-preventable disease,” the foundation said, stressing that protecting children requires more than an emergency response.

It called for sustained investment in routine immunisation, accessible primary healthcare, school health systems and community trust to strengthen the country’s capacity to prevent and respond to the disease.

“Together, we can protect lives, strengthen prevention and support healthier communities across Nigeria,” MADEN said.