The Director of Public Health, Edo Ministry of Health, Dr Stephenson Ojeifo, just said that the state recorded two deaths from Diphtheria disease between January and August.
Ojeifo disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Benin on Monday. He said the two deaths were from the six confirmed disease cases recorded during the same period. “We have recorded 20 suspected cases of the disease from January to August. Out of these, six were confirmed positive and two mortalities were recorded.
“Diphtheria is a vaccine-preventable disease and we are urging mothers and caregivers to ensure their children are vaccinated.
“The vaccine is free and vaccination protects our children against childhood preventable diseases, which can cause death,” he said.
Ojeifo attributed the deaths to the late presentation of the affected children to the hospital for treatment.
“It is a sad occurrence for the state, and there is a need for timely visits to hospital when children, including adults, are sick, instead of resorting to self-medication,” he further added.
He also revealed that the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) had provided the state with Diphtheria antitoxins, used on patients who came early for treatment. He said that the antitoxins were not sold in the market, but the state was able to secure some from the NCDC, adding that the ministry still had some in stock. He also said that the state did not have any suspected active cases of the disease presently.
According to the World Health Organisation, Diphtheria is a contagious disease caused by a bacterium that affects the upper respiratory tract and less often the skin. It is a serious bacterial infection that usually affects the mucous membranes of the nose and throat.
Its common symptoms include fever, sore throat, and swelling of the neck glands. It can be treated with medications. But in advanced stages, diphtheria can damage the heart, kidneys, and nervous system. Even with treatment, diphtheria can be deadly, especially in children.