- UNICEF has deployed 9.3 million doses of diphtheria vaccine to affected states in Nigeria amid the severe outbreak
- The outbreak has resulted in over 11,500 suspected cases, highlighting Nigeria’s urgent need for vaccination
The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has revealed that, amid the world’s most severe diphtheria outbreak in recent history, UNICEF has deployed 9.3 million doses of diphtheria vaccine to affected states in Nigeria.
UNICEF communication assistant Nchekwube Nwosu-Igbo stated this. The doses were said to have been distributed to Kano, Bauchi, Borno, Yobe, Katsina, Kaduna, and Jigawa, with four million doses being sent to Kano, the outbreak’s epicentre.
Another four million doses were ordered and would be delivered to the government in the coming weeks, according to the statement.
So far, the outbreak has resulted in over 11,500 suspected cases, over 7,000 confirmed cases, and 453 deaths, most of which have been children.
Most cases are children aged between 4 to 15 years who have not received even a single dose of the vital vaccine, laying bare the urgency of the vaccination situation in Nigeria, the statement said.
It said UNICEF is providing urgent support to the Nigerian government in its efforts to combat the outbreak, adding that a crucial part of this support includes the procurement of vaccines to support the government’s response.
The devastating impact of this diphtheria outbreak is a grim reminder of the importance of vaccination. Nigeria is home to a staggering 2.2 million children who haven’t received even a single dose of vaccine – the second largest of such cohort in the world. We must collectively take urgent actions to drastically reduce this number. Every child deserves protection from preventable diseases. This is not negotiable, the statement quoted UNICEF representative, Dr. Rownak Khan.