Save the Children charity organization has issued an urgent plea for funds to address the diphtheria outbreak gripping Nigeria.
In a statement released on Friday, the organization expressed deep concern about Nigeria’s alarmingly low vaccination rates, with only 42% of children under the age of 15 being fully immunized against diphtheria.
Save the Children warned that the current outbreak could intensify due to a critical shortage of essential vaccines and antitoxins required for treatment.
The charity detailed that it was taking decisive action by launching an expansive healthcare response in the three worst-affected states: Kano, Yobe, and Katsina. Save the Children’s Emergency Health Unit is mobilizing a team of healthcare experts and supply chain professionals to assist overwhelmed medical facilities in identifying and treating diphtheria cases. They are also actively supporting mass vaccination campaigns in the hardest-hit regions.
Save the Children’s Interim Country Director for Nigeria, Faton Krasniqi, underscored the gravity of the situation, stating, “The entire humanitarian community is attuned to the crisis we face. We are working in close coordination with the Nigerian Ministry of Health to ensure that every individual in need receives the necessary care and to curb the spread of the disease.”
Krasniqi further emphasized the heightened risks in overcrowded displacement camps and informal settlements in cities, where access to healthcare is limited, and medical facilities are overwhelmed. He stressed, “The response to this outbreak demands an immediate infusion of funding and a substantial supply of vaccines to contain it and, most importantly, to save the lives of children.”
Save the Children also called upon donors to support a comprehensive response, which is being spearheaded by the government, the United Nations, and various humanitarian agencies. This collaborative effort aims to reinforce local healthcare services, secure additional vaccine supplies, and implement a large-scale vaccination initiative.
To date, the diphtheria outbreak has resulted in 453 fatalities out of the 7,202 confirmed cases since its onset.
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