The Federal Teaching Hospital (FTH) Katsina is dealing with a large number of suspected and confirmed diphtheria cases in its children’s ward. The exact number of infections and deaths in Katsina State is still unclear.
On Saturday, the hospital announced that many patients were being sent from health facilities across the state. This has led to serious overcrowding and a shortage of bed spaces.
The hospital did not provide details on how many children are currently admitted or the number of confirmed cases and deaths so far.
PREMIUM TIMES reported on Saturday that the federal government has set up an emergency multi-agency task force. This includes the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), state governments, and development partners.
The task force is tasked with improving outbreak investigations and surveillance, ramping up immunisation efforts, and increasing access to treatment.
The federal government announced that the NPHCDA has sent 500,000 vaccine doses to Katsina and Kano states. This is to boost immunisation in areas affected and at risk from the disease. The specific number of doses sent to Katsina was not mentioned.
Hospital Under Pressure
FTH Katsina, a key referral hospital for Katsina and nearby states, is facing rising patient numbers. This has put a lot of strain on its paediatric services.
In a statement, the hospital said, "The hospital is making every possible arrangement to accommodate and manage the increasing number of patients, even in the absence of sufficient bed spaces."
Healthcare workers are still caring for critically ill children, even with the pressure on the ward.
The hospital has called for better cooperation among health institutions, government agencies, and other partners involved in the response.
The federal government has instructed the emergency task force to provide more help to FTH Katsina. This includes diphtheria antitoxin, intravenous antibiotics, extra clinical staff, and personal protective equipment.
The government also ordered the creation of treatment units across the three senatorial zones in Katsina, which cover Katsina, Daura, and Funtua. This is to lessen the load on the main hospital and make treatment more accessible to affected communities.
Details about where these treatment centres will be located, their capacity, and when they will start operating have not been shared yet.
Uncertainties Surrounding the Outbreak
Despite the challenges at FTH Katsina and the federal emergency response, there have been no official updates on the number of suspected cases, confirmed infections, deaths, or which local government areas are most affected.
The vaccination status of the children involved has not been revealed either.
These numbers could help show how much gaps in routine immunisation are causing the outbreak.
The Federal Ministry of Health mentioned that part of the emergency plan will focus on vaccinating children who have not been immunised.
There are still questions about when the rise in cases first started, what actions were taken before referrals to FTH Katsina began, and the treatment capacity at secondary health facilities in the state before the latest federal support.
PREMIUM TIMES learned that the Katsina State Primary Healthcare Development Agency will update journalists on the outbreak and the government's response on Sunday.
Drop your comment
No comments yet — be the first to drop the gist 👇