EU Releases N75m To Prevent Further Spread Of Diphteria In Nigeria
Princess-Ekwi Ajide Abuja
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) has confirmed that 11 new cases of diphtheria were recorded in Nigeria from 11th to 17th March 2023,
It said from the first case till date 266,652 cases had been confirmed, 259,946 cases have been discharged and 3,155 deaths have been recorded in 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory
The 11 new cases are however reported from 4 States- Nasarawa (6), Lagos (2), Plateau (2), Kaduna (1)
In response to this significant increase in diphtheria cases recorded since the beginning of 2023 in Nigeria, the European Union, EU, has released €150,000) which is equivalent to (N75 million) in humanitarian funds to prevent the spread of the disease and assist the most affected communities in the states of Kano, Katsina, Lagos, and Osun.
The EU funding will enable the Nigerian Red Cross to provide emergency assistance to reduce the impact of diphtheria on the affected and at-risk communities through risk communication, outbreak control activities, surveillance, patient referral and hygiene promotion, and early case detection in affected areas.
Humanitarian assistance will directly and indirectly target around 1,585,080 people, with a particular focus on vulnerable people at risk of diphtheria, especially those living in sheltered communities or hard-to-reach locations.
This funding is part of the EU’s overall contribution to the Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).
The outbreak is described as one of the most serious occurrences in Nigeria in recent years.
Children aged between 5 and 18 years are the most vulnerable group.
Diphtheria is a highly contagious bacterial infection transmitted between humans.
It causes an infection of the upper respiratory tract, which can lead to breathing difficulties and suffocation.
