Diphtheria: MSF urges long term vaccination efforts as outbreak kills over 600

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), an international non- governmental organisation has called for strengthened and longer-term vaccination efforts against diphtheria as cases and deaths from the current outbreak in the country hit 17, 000 and 600 respectively.

In a statement yesterday, the organisation said about 70% of the patients admitted in its treatment facilities in Kano were not fully vaccinated or vaccinated at all.

The organisation said this shows the alarmingly low vaccination coverage in Kano state that has recorded almost 12, 000 suspected cases.

MSF said in the North-West, full vaccination coverage is of high concern, ranging from 6% in Sokoto to 10% in Zamfara and 18% in Katsina, against a national average of 36%.

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It said, “In the North-East, the coverage is seemingly alarming, as only 15% of the patients treated for diphtheria in our MSF facility in Gwange Paediatric Hospital in Maiduguri were fully vaccinated.”