•NMA urges Kaduna to provide PPEs
From Paul Orude Bauchi
Five students in Bauchi State have died of suspected diphtheria in Jamaare Local Government Area.
Executive Chairman of Bauchi State Primary Health Care Agency, Dr. Rilwanu Mohammed, told journalists that all schools in the affected council had been closed as a precautionary measure.
Mohammed described the deaths of the students as unfortunate saying laboratory tests would confirm if they died of as Diphtheria.
He said any school where cases of diphtheria is confirmed would be closed down.
He said out of 28 samples taken, two were confirmed saying the agency was determined to act fast to curtail a possible spread of the outbreak. He said vaccination would be given to prevent the disease.
“We need to vaccinate children at six weeks and the good news is that the vaccination is free,” he said
Diphtheria is a serious infection but vaccine preventable disease caused by bacteria and the common symptoms are sore throat, difficulty breathing, swollen glands in neck, fever and chill among others.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) has called on the Kaduna State Government to provide more Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) to protect health workers involved in the treatment of the disease.
The state government had announced the outbreak of the disease on July 21, saying it recorded 17 cases of death from six local government areas.
Madaki, therefore, said it is important for government to provide PPEs because the health workers are at risk, adding that the measure will help to reduce the spread of infection.
“Diphtheria is a communicable disease so it can be transmitted from person to person.
“Health workers need PPEs to provide protection against hazards, virulent pathogens by preventing exposure to bodily fluids and respiratory droplets.
“PPE is worn to minimise and mitigate the risk associated with a variety of working conditions; without proper PPE, workers are exposed to significant risk of injury or illnesses, which may not present themselves immediately.”
The NMA chairman also urged the state government to make provisions for vaccination of the health workers and urged the public to report any unidentified symptoms of diphteria for prompt action
He stressed the need for the state government to also take a look at the renumeration of health workers.
Last week, House of Representatives had charged the Federal Ministry of Health and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, (NCDC) to take measures to contain the outbreak of diphtheria, in the country, so as to reduce the number of fatalities across the country.
It also charged Federal Ministry of Health and the NCDC to intensify its sensitization and enlightenment campaign “to prevent and eradicate the scourge of diphtheria and other related diseases across the country.”
This followed the adoption of a motion by Muktar Shagaya at plenary calling urgent action to contain the disease.