Diphtheria outbreak: Alli slams Oyo’s poor immunisation coverage

Worried by reports of an outbreak of diphtheria affecting several local government areas in Oyo, with attendant cases and fatalities among children, the Senator Sharafadeen Alli Campaign Organisation (SSACO) has expressed grave concern over the situation, calling on Governor Seyi Makinde to urgently strengthen the state’s response and provide a comprehensive account of its efforts to protect children against vaccine-preventable diseases.

The Campaign Organization’s concerns are heightened by Oyo State’s latest childhood immunization figures, which place it at the bottom of the six states in the South-West, despite billions of Naira in development financing received under the World Bank-supported Immunisation Plus and Malaria Progress by Accelerating Coverage and Transforming Services (IMPACT) Project.

A statement by the Campaign Organisation’s Director of Media and Publicity, Bisi Oladele, described the reported outbreak and the state’s immunisation performance as matters requiring urgent public attention, particularly given the preventable nature of diphtheria and the importance of sustained vaccination coverage.

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Diphtheria is a vaccine-preventable bacterial infection that commonly affects the nose and throat, causing severe complications such as breathing difficulties, heart damage and death, especially when diagnosis and treatment are delayed.

The statement listed the local government areas reported to be affected as Atisbo, Ibadan North-West, Oyo West, Akinyele, Saki, Egbeda, Oriire, Ibadan North, Ibadan South-West, Iwajowa, Ona-Ara, Atiba, Lagelu, Ogbomosho North, Surulere, and Oluyole.

“The reported outbreak of diphtheria, with the associated concerns about cases and fatalities among children, should be a wake-up call for Oyo State. Every child deserves protection against vaccine-preventable diseases, and the government must demonstrate that its immunization programme is reaching vulnerable communities effectively,” the Organisation stated.

“This is an urgent public health concern that demands clear and timely response. The protection of human lives must not be subordinated to political publicity. The Director of Public Health must explain to the people the factors driving these outbreaks and account for the resources expended so far on immunization and outbreak prevention,” the campaign organisation added.

According to the figures cited by the SSACO, Oyo’s childhood immunization coverage rose marginally from 51.3 per cent in the 2024 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) to 55.0 per cent in the 2025–2026 survey, an increase of just 3.7 percentage points.

The corresponding figures showed that coverage increased from 58.2 to 84.9 per cent in Ekiti, 52.1 to 86.0 per cent in Lagos, 52.1 to 63.9 per cent in Ogun, 59.8 to 84.0 per cent in Ondo, and 54.4 to 78.1 per cent in Osun. Across the South-West, coverage reportedly increased by 14.3 percentage points, from 58.2 to 72.5 per cent.

These figures place Oyo at the bottom of the six-state regional comparison and raise questions about the reach and effectiveness of Makinde’s government’s immunization interventions.

The SSACO noted that Oyo is the only South-West state among the 12 states participating in the Immunization Plus component of the World Bank-supported IMPACT Project. Other participating states are Adamawa, Bauchi, Benue, Ebonyi, Kaduna, Kano, Kogi, Kwara, Nasarawa, Plateau and Sokoto.

The organisation argued that the combination of low immunization coverage and the reported diphtheria outbreak warrants a thorough review of the resources committed to immunization, the interventions implemented and the results achieved.

It cited available audited financial records indicating that cumulative World Bank/International Development Association (IDA) funds received by Oyo State under the project stood at approximately ₦9.832 billion as of December 31, 2024. The state’s contribution of ₦41 million and miscellaneous and interest income of ₦13.45 million, cumulative project receipts amounted to approximately ₦9.886 billion.

“Billions of Naira in development financing must translate into measurable improvements in public health. These funds are not free money; they are part of development financing that carries obligations and must deliver value to the people who will ultimately bear the cost.” The SSACO said.

It also urged the state government to work closely with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDCP), the National Primary Health Care Development Agency and relevant development partners to contain the outbreak and prevent further transmission.

Beyond the immediate response, the campaign organisation demanded the publication of updated IMPACT Project financial and implementation reports, including subsequent disbursements, expenditure by component, planned vaccination targets, actual coverage achieved and measures taken to address underserved communities.

It also questioned the continued engagement of a retired Primary Health Care Board (PHCB) IMPACT Programme Manager involved in the project’s implementation, arguing that the programme’s scale and concerns about its outcomes make transparency in staffing and programme management essential.

“Oyo State has qualified medical and public-health professionals whose expertise should be effectively deployed to strengthen the system. We must insist on accountability and competent programme management,” the organisation posited.