Oyo Denies Diphtheria Outbreak, Says No Confirmed Cases Yet

The government also accused the Senator Sharafadeen Alli Campaign Organisation (SSACO) of spreading misinformation by claiming that diphtheria was affecting several local government areas in the state.

The governor’s Special Adviser on Media, Dr Sulaimon Olanrewaju, stated this, citing surveillance data provided by the Commissioner for Health, Dr Oluwaserimi Ajetunmobi.

According to Olanrewaju, SSACO listed 16 local government areas as affected by diphtheria, including Atisbo, Ibadan North-West, Oyo West, Akinyele, Saki, Egbeda, Oriire, Ibadan North, Ibadan South-West, Iwajowa, Ona Ara, Atiba, Lagelu, Ogbomosho North, Surulere and Oluyole.

He said the Ministry of Health’s Diphtheria Outbreak Surveillance Update for Epidemiological Week 40 of 2026 recorded suspected cases in only 10 local government areas, with none confirmed.

Olanrewaju described the campaign organisation’s claims as misleading, warning that unverified reports about disease outbreaks could cause unnecessary public anxiety.

He said the state government had taken precautionary measures despite the absence of confirmed cases.

According to him, the Public Health Emergency Operations Centre has procured antibiotic supplies and requested buffer stocks of diphtheria antitoxin (DAT).

He added that rapid response teams had been activated to respond to suspected cases in line with the 7-1-7 framework, while suspected cases had been isolated and treated at the Infectious Disease Centre, Olodo, with DAT and appropriate antibiotics.

The government also disputed SSACO’s claims that Oyo State ranked lowest in childhood immunisation coverage in the South-West.

Olanrewaju said verified data from the Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) 2025–2026 showed that the state’s basic antigen coverage was at the South-West average, while its national immunisation schedule coverage exceeded the zonal average.

He added that full national schedule coverage among children aged 24 to 35 months was above the regional average.

The government also rejected SSACO’s criticism of Oyo State’s participation in the Immunization Plus component of the IMPACT Project, describing the campaign organisation’s interpretation of the project’s funding and immunisation indicators as misleading.

According to Olanrewaju, funds received under the project were being used for their intended purposes, adding that allegations of mismanagement should be supported with specific evidence.

On SSACO’s demand for the publication of IMPACT reports, the government said financial and implementation reporting followed the project’s established audit and disclosure framework.

It said the Ministry of Health welcomed scrutiny through appropriate channels but cautioned against using unverified disease-outbreak claims for political messaging.