BREAKING: FCTA Records 2 Deaths From 5 Confirmed Diphtheria Cases

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has confirmed five cases of diphtheria and two deaths from 15 suspected cases investigated in the territory.

The FCTA subsequently deployed surveillance and vaccination teams to priority settlements in Karshi, including Angwan Kokosa, where the confirmed cases were recorded, as well as surrounding communities.

The Mandate Secretary, Health Services and Environment Secretariat, Dr Adedolapo Fasawe, disclosed this on Thursday during an advocacy campaign and community engagement on the prevention and control of diphtheria at the Emir of Karshi’s Palace in the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC).

Fasawe said the teams were working with supervisors, town announcers, traditional and religious leaders, schools and health facilities to conduct active case searches, assess vaccination gaps and identify children who had missed routine vaccinations.

She said the vaccination exercise would prioritise zero-dose and under-immunised children, adding that the administration was moving beyond responding to individual cases to strengthening protection across the FCT.

“For the last few weeks, the FCT has received alerts of an infectious disease circulating in our communities. This disease has been confirmed by laboratory test to be diphtheria. As of end of last week, the FCT had investigated 15 suspected cases. Five were laboratory-confirmed, while 10 were discarded following investigation. Sadly, two deaths occurred among the confirmed cases,” she said.

Fasawe said the FCTA immediately activated a multidisciplinary Incident Management Team following laboratory confirmation of a case.

She said the response teams had conducted active case searches, identified and monitored close contacts, provided preventive antibiotics to eligible household contacts and collected samples for laboratory testing.

According to her, healthcare workers had also been sensitised on early detection, infection prevention and control, and prompt notification of suspected cases.

Fasawe described diphtheria as a serious bacterial infection that affects the nose, throat and sometimes the skin. She said the disease is mainly caused by toxin-producingis

She said early symptoms include fever, sore throat, difficulty swallowing and neck swelling, while severe cases could result in the formation of a thick greyish or whitish membrane in the throat capable of obstructing the airway.

“Families should not wait until the child begins to struggle to breathe. I therefore appeal to every parent and caregiver to please check your child vaccination card. If you are unsure whether your child has received all the recommended doses, take the child to the nearest primary healthcare centre,” she said.

Fasawe warned that suspected diphtheria patients should not be turned away or transferred without proper assessment, isolation where necessary and stabilisation, adding that treatment for the disease is free within the FCT.

She also urged private hospitals that encounter suspected cases to isolate and refer the patients to the nearest secondary health facility and immediately notify the disease surveillance system.

The Mandate Secretary said the FCTA would intensify risk communication and community engagement in languages understood by residents to ensure accurate information reached households, schools, marketplaces, places of worship and motor parks.

She cautioned residents against misinformation and urged traditional and religious leaders, teachers, school proprietors and community associations to support the response teams and promptly report unusual illnesses.

Fasawe also warned residents against touching, scraping or attempting to remove the membrane from the throat of a suspected diphtheria patient, saying such actions could cause severe bleeding, shock and death.

Also speaking, a representative of the World Health Organisation (WHO), Imabong Adebayo, said diphtheria was preventable through vaccination and urged traditional and religious leaders to support efforts to improve vaccine uptake in their communities.

Adebayo said the vaccines were safe and free for children, urging mothers and caregivers to ensure that eligible children received their routine vaccinations.

The Acting Permanent Secretary, Health Services and Environment Secretariat, Ghali Kassim, said Karshi was selected for the campaign because of the confirmed diphtheria case and the need to prevent further transmission.

He stressed the importance of early reporting and community engagement in containing the disease and urged residents to cooperate with health officials.

The Emir of Karshi, Alhaji Ismail Mohammed, represented by the Hakimi of Karshi, Alhaji Ahmed Doka, assured that traditional rulers would work with health authorities to contain the outbreak and prevent its spread beyond the affected areas.

Mohammed commended the FCTA for its prompt intervention and urged residents to report suspected cases to the appropriate authorities.

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), the Chairman of the Abuja Municipal Area Council and other partners pledged their support for the diphtheria response in the FCT.