Diphtheria task team visits Yobe, streamlines epidemic control

The federal government diphtheria emergency task team Monday visited Potiskum Specialist Hospital Isolation Centre in Yobe state to streamline the epidemic control in the state.

The team was led by the executive director, National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr. Faisal Shuaib.

Speaking at the isolation centre in  Potiskum town, Dr. Shuaib, Executive Director, NPHCDA said they were in Potiskum, Yobe state, as federal government delegation on a diphtheria emergency team that was set up by the Minister of Health, Professor Mohammed Ali pate.

 The team is to see for themselves and observe how the response to diphtheria outbreak is being managed in the state.

Dr. Shuaib stated that the visit is also to see how resources being deployed by federal and state governments are being channeled to make sure that Nigerians have access to quality health care.

“So far, we have seen how the state government has already set up an incidence management system. They have an incidence manager of the diphtheria emergency operations centre and leadership have been provided by the chief medical director and all the consultants at the Specialist Hospital, potiskum.

“We have seen that there are still a lot to be  done  in terms of providing medical care and intensive care.

“For us at the diphtheria emergency task team, we are impressed by the response after the outbreak of the diphtheria. There where immediate response and vaccine were deployed to make sure that the immediate communities were vaccinated and thereafter there has been a major LGA wide vaccination, ” he said.

He noted that the next vaccination campaign would hold on 12th of October, 2023, adding that it is to provide the vulnerable kids the vaccine that will prevent diphtheria disease.