The House of Representatives on Thursday called on the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), and the Federal Ministry of Health to ensure that the outbreak of diphtheria disease now ravaging the country is effectively tackled in order to reduce numbers of fatality presently being recorded in some states of the Federation.
This was sequel to the adoption of a motion moved by a lawmaker, Hon Muktar Shagaya from Kwara State.
Presenting his debate, Hon Shagaya said that the 36 States and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), have witnessed a total of 555 cases of the disease, adding that reports from the World Health Organisation, (WHO) had also confirmed the figures.
The lawmaker further disclosed that since the outbreak of the disease, more than 75 deaths have been recorded in 21 affected states excluding the recent death of a four years old boy in the FCT.
He lamented that diphtheria disease cases were being under-reported by the media in Nigeria despite repeated threats being posed to public health as well as that of respiratory complications, heart rhythm problems and other fatal outcomes in situations of late detection.
He added, “also notes that diphtheria is a highly contagious vaccine-preventable disease which spreads between people mainly by direct contact or through the air via respiratory droplets.
While adopting the motion, the House called on the Federal Ministry of Health, the National Primary Healthcare Development Agency and NCDC to intensify their sensitization and enlightenment campaign to prevent and eradicate the scourge of diphtheria and other related diseases across the country.
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