Reps call for enforcement of mandatory diphtheria immunisation nationwide

House of Representatives on Wednesday tasked Federal Ministry of Health, Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), and National Health Care Development Agency (NHCDA) to enforce the mandatory diphtheria immunisation, testing, and treatment across healthcare centers in all 774 Local Government Areas.

The resolution was passed sequel to the adoption of a motion on the ‘Need to mitigate the spread of Diphtheria: A major public health concern in Nigeria to save lives’, sponsored by Hon. Kwamoti Laori, who solicited the House’s intervention.

In his lead debate, Hon. Laori noted that Diphtheria, a bacterial infection caused by Corynebacterium species, has become a critical public health issue since the first outbreak in Borno in 2011 claimed 21 lives.

“The outbreak’s current resurgence poses significant threats to Nigeria’s already overburdened public health system.

“The House also notes that diphtheria, which affects the nose, throat, skin, and, in severe cases, the heart, is transmitted through respiratory droplets, contaminated objects, and crowded unsanitary environments, making its spread particularly rapid among children and those with compromised immune systems in crowded communities.

“The House is aware that diphtheria thrives in Africa due to low vaccination rates while remaining virtually absent in countries like the United States of America and Europe, where vaccination coverage is high.

“Thus, diphtheria primarily threatens unvaccinated individuals who travel internationally or come into contact with infected persons.

“The House is also aware that in Africa, nations such as Niger, Gabon, and Mauritania have reported outbreaks with only a handful of confirmed deaths due to effective vaccination coverage, early detection, laboratory confirmation, and the availability of antitoxins and antibiotics for treatment. In stark contrast, Nigeria’s statistics paint a dire picture, with thousands of reported cases and associated deaths due to low or absence of vaccination.

“The House is alarmed that from May 2022 to February 2025, Nigeria has reported 41,978 suspected cases of diphtheria from Bauchi, Borno, Jigawa, Kaduna, Katsina, with Kano and Yobe States accounting for the highest numbers- 24,062 and 5330, respectively. Most cases were children aged 1-14, and only 19.7% were fully vaccinated, resulting in 1,279 deaths within this period.

“The House is concerned that if nothing is done, the high case fatality rate could worsen and spread outside of the states already impacted, underscoring the urgency of improving on the low vaccination rates, ineffective antitoxins and treatments, and delays in clinical detection and test confirmation that fuel this outbreak.”

To this end, the House tasked Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation to raise public awareness through sensitization campaigns regarding the dangers, symptoms, and transmission modes of diphtheria to prevent further spread and fatalities.

Worried by the development, the House mandated the joint Committees on Health and Health Institutions to assess the level of compliance with the mandatory Diphtheria immunization, the capacity of health institutions to effectively respond to current threat of Diphtheria spread across the country, and report back within four weeks for further legislative action.

Hence, the House mandated its Committee on Legislative Compliance to ensure compliance.

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