The Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, has announced the outbreak of Diptheria disease in Abuja FCT and its environs after confirming a test result positive. The FCT Director of Public Health Department, The FCT Director, Public Health Department, Dr. Sadiq Abdulrahman, declared the outbreak, to newsmen during a conference yesterday Monday, 3rd July, 2023 in Abuja.
Addressing participants during the news conference, the Director said the disease had already killed a four-year-old, and threatening the more adding that earlier, an outbreak was recorded in states like Lagos, Ondo, and Kano states in January, and that had triggered a national emergency response by the Nigeria Centre for Disease and Control.
Diphtheria is an infection disease that is caused by strains of bacteria known as Corynebacterium Diphtheriae which produces toxins that cause difficulty in breathing, and heart rhythm problems in its patients and could lead to death if not tackled on time.
Abdulrahman explained that his office confirmed the outbreak after test on samples were returned positive of a suspected case found at the Dei-Dei community, a suburb in the FCT.
The Director said, “Two weeks ago, we got information from a community within the FCT of eight cases and that made our team to pick some samples.
He added “The samples were taken to the National Reference Laboratory, Gaduwa, and the NCDC, and one of the suspected cases came out positive”.
Consequently, he urged resident to report any strange symptoms observed, especially the one that concerns respiratory challenges to nearest health centres while tasking families to maintain good hygiene and clean environment.
Meanwhile, he disclosed his department is collaborating with neighbouring states to arrest the spread of the deadly disease through disease surveillance.
Also, the Executive Secretary of FCT Primary Health Care Board, Dr. Yahaya Vatsa, disclosed that unvaccinated people who lived in overcrowded and unhygienic environments were at high risk of contracting the disease.
He called on parents to ensure that children are fully vaccinated, in line with the National Childhood Immunization Schedule.
Vasta said, “To reduce the risk of contracting the disease, FCT residents are hereby advised to ensure that their children are fully vaccinated with three doses of the pentavalent vaccine. This is recommended in the National Childhood Immunisation Schedule”.
He called on individuals who feel any of the symptom to isolate themselves from public and call the attention of the FCT disease surveillance department through the toll-free call lines.
