Apprehension As Three Children Die Of Diphtheria In Kaduna Community

A health team, led by Dr. Bello Jamo, the Executive Secretary of the Kaduna State Primary Health Care Board, has confirmed an outbreak of diphtheria in the Tukur Tukur settlement within Zaria Local Government Area.

The team, which included a World Health Organisation representative, visited the community after reports of child deaths.

Jamo confirmed that three children had died from the suspected outbreak, attributing the incident to non-compliance with diphtheria vaccination during a routine exercise conducted two months ago.

The KPHCB boss, who spoke to newsmen shortly after the visit on Sunday, noted that it was the first reported case of outbreak of the disease in the 13 wards of Zaria LG after the routine vaccination conducted in June.

The settlement had the highest rejection rate of the vaccine, according to him.

He said, “Based on our record, Tukur Tukur settlement has been the highest in the rejection rate of vaccine during our previous routine exercise.

“So i met with the ward leaders, religious and opinion leaders and urged them to scale up sensitisation campaign on the need to embrace the vaccine.”

To contain the outbreak, the team vaccinated over 1,000 children in the area and ordered continued vaccination for the next week in neighbouring settlements.

He also urged local leaders and health officials to scale up sensitisation campaigns on the importance of vaccination.

The Health Secretary of the local council, Abdullahi Sule, reported that one victim died at home, while two others died after being rushed to Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Shika, Zaria.

The ward focal person, Fatima Abdullahi, assured residents that her team would remain in the community for a week to rid the settlement of the disease.

An elder and spokesman for the Northern Elders Forum, Abdul-Azeez Suleiman, appreciated the prompt response and assured them of the community’s readiness to embark on rigorous sensitisation awareness on the importance of vaccination.

The PUNCH reports that the community had sounded the alarm over a potential diphtheria outbreak.