FG Launches Task Force for Diphtheria Outbreak Response

The federal government of Nigeria has activated an emergency task force to manage a diphtheria outbreak affecting children in Katsina and Kano states. Announced by Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, the initiative aims to enhance surveillance, close immunization gaps, and ensure timely treatment access.

The task force, co-chaired by the director-general of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) and the director of Public Health, includes members from the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), health commissioners from Katsina, Kano, Zamfara, and Sokoto states, as well as representatives from WHO, UNICEF, and the National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control Programme. Immediate actions include deploying 500,000 vaccine doses, establishing treatment annexes in hospitals across Katsina's senatorial districts, and mobilizing emergency support for the Federal Teaching Hospital, Katsina.

The task force will provide weekly updates to the minister on progress and challenges.