Gombe State Launches Diphtheria Vaccination Campaign

The Gombe State Government has declared a diphtheria outbreak, with 332 cases confirmed across four local government areas: Akko, Gombe, Kwami, and Funakaye. In response, an emergency vaccination campaign is being launched, as communicated by the Gombe State Ministry of Education.

School principals and leaders have been instructed to cooperate with health officials during the vaccination exercise, which will occur from Sunday, September 20, to Thursday, September 24, 2026. The immunization program will consist of multiple doses, with the second dose administered 14 days after the first and the final dose given seven days later.

The Ministry has urged school authorities to inform students, parents, and relevant committees about the vaccination and to allow health personnel access to students for vaccine administration. The Ministry emphasized the importance of preventive measures to contain the outbreak, which is highly contagious and can lead to severe complications if untreated.