Katsina has recorded about 1,000 suspected cases of diphtheria since January 2026, with about five per cent of the affected persons losing their lives, prompting the state government to intensify emergency measures to contain the outbreak.
The Acting Executive Secretary of the Katsina State Primary Health Care Agency, Shaima’u Abba, disclosed this while briefing journalists at the Agency’s Emergency Coordination Centre in Katsina on Sunday.
She described diphtheria as a highly infectious but vaccine-preventable disease that mainly affects the respiratory tract, stressing that the outbreak remains a serious public health concern.
According to Abba, as of Epidemiological Week 35 (28th August, 2026), suspected cases have been reported in 29 Local Government Areas, with Funtua recording the highest number of cases, followed by Kankia, Bakori, Katsina, Mashi and Daura.
She assured residents that the administration of Governor Dikko Radda is fully committed to bringing the outbreak under control through coordinated interventions led by the State Emergency Preparedness and Rapid Response Team, the Primary Health Care Agency, the Ministry of Health, the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and development partners.
Abba explained that surveillance, contact tracing, data review, case investigation and preventive treatment for contacts are ongoing across affected communities under the Incident Management System.
She announced that a reactive vaccination campaign, which began on 25th August, is currently underway in 15 high-risk wards across Bakori, Charanchi, Funtua, Mashi and Kankia Local Government Areas, with support from UNICEF.
The Acting Executive Secretary said the campaign has recorded encouraging community participation through intensive house-to-house mobilisation.
She further disclosed that the State Government has strengthened case management by establishing three additional isolation centres, complementing the existing NCDC-supported isolation facility at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Katsina.
According to her, essential medicines, medical consumables and infection prevention materials have been supplied to treatment centres, while health workers are receiving additional training on surveillance and case management.
Abba, however, identified poor vaccination uptake, delayed presentation of patients at health facilities and the state’s porous border with the Niger Republic as major challenges affecting response efforts.
She appealed to parents and caregivers to ensure their children receive all routine vaccinations and urged residents to immediately seek medical attention whenever symptoms such as sore throat, fever, difficulty swallowing or breathing, neck swelling or a greyish membrane in the throat are noticed.
Meanwhile, the Federal Teaching Hospital, Katsina, has confirmed that the rising number of diphtheria patients has stretched its children’s ward beyond capacity.
In a statement issued on Saturday, the hospital management said the continuous referral of suspected and confirmed cases from across the state has resulted in severe overcrowding and exhausted available bed spaces.
Despite the pressure, the hospital assured the public that it remains committed to providing quality and timely care to all patients while making alternative arrangements to accommodate the increasing number of critically ill children.
The management also commended the dedication of its healthcare workers and called for stronger collaboration among government agencies, health institutions and development partners to effectively contain the outbreak and protect vulnerable children.
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