OYO HEIGHTENS SURVEILLANCE TO PREVENT DIPHTHERIA OUTBREAK

The Oyo State government has intensified surveillance, case management, and vaccination campaigns across the state following the recent outbreak of diphtheria in some parts of the country.

The Commissioner for Health, Dr Oluwaserimi Ajetunmobi, stated this at the Emergency Operations Centre in Ibadan.

Ajetunmobi urged healthcare workers to respond swiftly to suspected cases and advice residents to take necessary precautions.

She advised parents to ensure children receive the three doses of the Pentavalent vaccine at 6, 10, and 14 weeks of age.

“Pregnant women should receive the Tetanus-Diphtheria (Td) vaccine during antenatal care.

She added that symptoms include sore throat, fever, cough, swollen lymph nodes, difficulty swallowing, and, in severe cases, respiratory distress.

According to the latest data obtained from the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Nigeria has recorded a total of 26,005 confirmed cases of diphtheria out of the 42,805  suspected cases reported across 36 states, the Federal Capital Territory, and 351 local government areas.