Adedayo Akinwale in Abuja

The  House of Representatives has directed the Federal Ministry of Health, the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), and the National Health Care Development Agency to enforce the mandatory diphtheria immunization, testing and treatment across healthcare centres in all 774 local government areas.

It also tasked the Ministry of Information and National Orientation to raise public awareness through sensitisation campaigns regarding the dangers, symptoms and transmission modes of diphtheria to prevent further spread and fatalities.

The resolution of the House followed the adoption of a motion moved at the plenary on Wednesday by Hon. Kwamoti Laori.

Moving the motion, the lawmaker explained that diphtheria, a bacterial infection caused by Corynebacterium species, has become a critical public health issue since the first outbreak in Borno State in 2011 claimed 21 lives. 

He said the outbreak’s current resurgence poses significant threats to Nigeria’s already overburdened public health system.

Laori recalled 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. 

He said the most affected were children aged 1-14, and only 19.7 per cent were fully vaccinated, resulting in 1,279 deaths within the period.

The lawmaker explained 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.

He pointed out 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. 

Laori added that diphtheria primarily threatens unvaccinated individuals who travel internationally or come into contact with infected persons.

He emphasised 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, the lawmaker pointed of that Nigeria’s statistics paint a dire picture, with thousands of reported cases and associated deaths due to low or absence of vaccination.

Laori expressed worry that if nothing is done, the high case fatality rate could worsen and spread outside of the states already impacted.

This, according to him, underscored 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;

The House therefore directed, “the Federal Ministry of Health, the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), and the National Health Care Development Agency to enforce the mandatory diphtheria immunization, testing and treatment across healthcare centres in all 774 local government areas.

“Task the 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.”

It also mandated the House Committee on Health and Health Institutions to assess the level of compliance with the mandatory diphtheria immunisation, the capacity of health institutions to effectively respond to the current threat of diphtheria spread across the country and report back within four weeks for further legislative action.