03/10/23
OLADIPO DG
Over Eight Thousand four Hundred and Six Cases of Diptheria have been confirmed in Eleven States across the Country
Amidst Ravaging increase in cases ,The Federal Government is considering the use of face masks in public gatherings to curb the spread, especially in affected states.
The Co-Chair of the Diptheria Emergency Task force, Faisal Shuaib, who said this during a news conference in Abuja on Tuesday
Faisal Shuaib who is also the Executive Director, National Primary Health Care Development Agency, further explained that government believes that vaccination remained the most formidable weapon against diphtheria.
He told journalists that Nigeria currently has two of the vaccines namely; the Pentavalent vaccine, administered to children aged 6 weeks to 4 years, and the Tetanus-diphtheria vaccine, provided to children aged above 4 years to 14 years.
Faisal Shuaib, therefore, encouraged parents to ensure that their children and wards are vaccinated appropriately.
According to the World Health Organization , diphtheria is a highly contagious vaccine-preventable disease caused mainly by Corynebacterium diphtheria and also by Corynebacterium ulcerans.
The disease spreads between people mainly by direct contact or through the air via respiratory droplets and can affect all age groups.
Dara Network TV 