In response to the escalating diphtheria outbreak in Nigeria, the European Union (EU) has pledged €1,000,000 (N847 million) in humanitarian funding.
This financial aid is a significant addition to the EU’s efforts to tackle the unprecedented outbreak of the diphtheria disease in Nigeria.
The announcement comes after a prior allocation of €150,000 to the Disaster Response Emergency Fund (DREF) of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) in March 2023, aimed at supporting epidemic control.
According to the EU statement, the newly released funding will empower UNICEF and the medical non-governmental organization ALIMA to bolster the response by providing technical expertise and staff support to frontline health agencies.
The focus will be on enhancing surveillance, case detection, treatment, community awareness, and vaccine procurement.
What you should know
Nigeria is grappling with the world’s second-largest diphtheria outbreak, with 10,322 confirmed and 16,616 suspected cases reported since the beginning of the year. Kano State in the Northwest has emerged as the epicenter, documenting 8,447 confirmed cases and 589 deaths.
The most affected states, collectively accounting for 96% of all suspected cases, include Kano, Yobe, Katsina, Borno, Bauchi, and Kaduna. Despite control efforts since late 2022 when the outbreak commenced, the disease has gradually spread to other states in the Northwest and Northeast.
Children aged 1 to 14 years constitute a significant portion, representing 72% of all confirmed cases. Furthermore, analysis of vaccination status reveals that over 60% of all suspected cases have not been vaccinated, highlighting the vulnerability of this demographic.
The EU emphasized that this funding falls under its Epidemics tool, designed to swiftly allocate resources in response to disease outbreaks. The statement underscores that children and individuals not fully vaccinated against diphtheria are most at risk.
Diphtheria, a highly contagious bacterial infection, spreads among humans and targets the upper respiratory tract, potentially causing breathing difficulties and suffocation.
The EU’s commitment to supporting Nigeria in this public health crisis reflects its dedication to protecting vulnerable populations and preventing the further spread of the disease.
