The House of Representatives has mandated the Federal Ministry of Health, the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), and the National Primary Health Care Development Agency to ensure implementation of compulsory diphtheria vaccination, testing, and treatment in all healthcare facilities across the country’s 774 local councils.
The Ministry of Information and National Orientation has also been directed to launch nationwide awareness campaigns to educate the public on the dangers, symptoms, and transmission of the disease.
The resolution followed a motion moved yesterday at plenary by the member representing Demsa/Numan/Lamurde Federal Constituency of Adamawa State, Kwamoti Laori.
Presenting his motion, the lawmaker outlined that diphtheria, a serious bacterial infection caused by Corynebacterium species, first emerged as a public health concern during the 2011 outbreak in Borno State, which led to the death of 21 people.
He stated that the resurgence presents a major challenge to the country’s healthcare infrastructure.
Laori noted that between May 2022 and February 2025, the nation has recorded 41,978 suspected cases in states such as Bauchi, Borno, Jigawa, Kaduna, and Katsina, with Kano and Yobe States being the hardest hit, accounting for 24,062 and 5,330 infections respectively.
Adopting the motion, the House called for immediate improvements in vaccination rates, better access to antitoxins, more effective treatments, and quicker clinical diagnosis to contain the outbreak.
