The European Union (EU) Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS have allocated one million euros (approximately N847 million) to combat the escalating diphtheria outbreak in Nigeria’s Northeast and Northwest regions. This funding is part of the EU’s efforts to curb the spread of the disease and support affected communities.
In a recent announcement by the EU Embassy in Abuja, the delegation confirmed this commitment. It is a segment of the 34 million euros the EU dedicated in June 2023 to addressing diseases, climate-related issues, and other challenges.
This latest funding supplements the 150,000 euros previously donated to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) Disaster Response Emergency Fund (DREF) in March 2023. That initial contribution was aimed at bolstering efforts to control the outbreak.
With the increased EU financial support, UNICEF and the medical NGO, ALIMA, will now enhance frontline health services. They will provide staff and technical assistance to improve surveillance, case detection, and treatment. The funds will also aid in raising community awareness and assisting in vaccine procurement.
Nigeria is grappling with the world’s second-largest diphtheria outbreak, reporting 10,322 confirmed and 16,616 suspected cases since the year’s start.
As reported by Daily Post, Kano State is the epicenter of the outbreak, with 8,447 confirmed cases and 589 fatalities. Other significantly impacted states include Yobe, Katsina, Borno, Bauchi, and Kaduna, contributing to 96 percent of all suspected cases.
Despite control efforts initiated in late 2022, the disease has continued to spread across the Northwest and Northeast regions. Children aged 1 to 14 years are predominantly affected, accounting for 72 percent of all confirmed cases. Alarmingly, analysis indicates that over 60 percent of all suspected cases have not received a vaccination.
This EU intervention underscores the global community’s concern and collaborative effort to assist Nigeria in combating this public health crisis. The financial aid aims not only to address the immediate outbreak but also to strengthen Nigeria’s overall healthcare response to prevent future disease outbreaks.
