•Gombe begins emergency vaccination as state records 332 cases

The Academy of Medical Sciences Rapid Response Initiative Group has called for an immediate and coordinated response to the diphtheria outbreak in the affected Northern states, expressing concern that the disease could spread to other parts of the country without coordinated preventive measures.

In a public health statement by its Chairman, Rapid Response Committee, Prof. Obinna Onwujekwe, and Academy President, Prof. Osato Giwa- Osagie, the group said Nigeria had recorded over 10,000 confirmed diphtheria cases in 2026, with a vast majority of the affected patients unvaccinated.

On its part, the Gombe State Government has launched an emergency vaccination campaign after 332 cases of diphtheria were recorded in Akko, Gombe, Kwami and Funakaye local council areas.

To that end, the Ministry of Education has directed school principals to work with health officials during the vaccination exercise, the first phase of which will run from September 20 to 24, 2026.

The ministry said the second dose would be given 14 days after the first, while the third and final dose would be administered seven days later.

School principals were also urged to educate students, parents, Parent-Teacher Associations and school-based management committees about the vaccination exercise.

They were directed to allow authorised health workers access to students for vaccination and to support other measures aimed at stopping the spread of the disease.

According to the academy’s statement, children between the ages of one and 14 have been the most affected, while eight states, including Kano, Kaduna, Katsina, Borno, Bauchi, Plateau, Sokoto and Zamfara, account for 98 per cent of the reported confirmed cases.

The body noted that though diphtheria is a vaccine-preventable disease, it is potentially life-threatening and is primarily transmitted through respiratory droplets and close contact.

It warned that low routine immunisation coverage, missed vaccination campaigns and vaccine hesitancy were contributing to immunity gaps in some communities, potentially increasing the risk of outbreaks.

The group also identified crowded environments, poor ventilation and close household or community contact as factors that could facilitate transmission.

The Academy further called for stronger laboratory surveillance and training of frontline health workers to distinguish suspected diphtheria cases from other illnesses, such as pseudo membrane/throat involvement, neck swelling, and systemic symptoms.

It recommended targeting schools, boarding facilities, faith communities, camps and densely populated settlements, where close contact could increase transmission.