An image showing a child receiving vaccination (PHOTO CREDIT: World Health Organisation/R. Barry | via https://snip.ng/MebYq) The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has intensified surveillance, vaccination, and community engagement in Karshi following the confirmation of diphtheria cases there. The administration said the measures were aimed at detecting suspected cases early, monitoring close contacts and reaching children who had never received vaccines or were under-immunised.
The Mandate Secretary, Health Services and Environment Secretariat, Adedolapo Fasawe, disclosed this on Thursday at a community engagement and vaccination campaign in Karshi, Abuja. Delivering her keynote address, Ms Fasawe noted that surveillance and vaccination teams had been deployed to priority settlements, including Angwan Kokosa and surrounding communities.
She said the teams were working with traditional and religious leaders, schools, health facilities, town announcers and other community stakeholders to identify suspected cases, assess vaccination gaps and reach children who had missed routine immunisation. Ms Fasawe said the administration activated a multidisciplinary Incident Management Team following laboratory confirmation of a diphtheria case.
She explained that the response included active case searches, identification and monitoring of close contacts, preventive antibiotics for eligible household contacts, laboratory testing and the sensitisation of healthcare workers on early detection, infection prevention and control, and prompt notification. Giving an update on the situation, she said 15 suspected cases had been investigated in the FCT as of the end of the previous week.
“As of the end of last week, the FCT had investigated 15 suspected cases. Five were laboratory-confirmed, while 10 were discarded following investigation. Sadly, two deaths occurred among the confirmed cases,” she said. Diphtheria is a serious bacterial infection that primarily affects the nose and throat and can cause breathing difficulties and other complications when not detected and treated promptly.