Lagos State begins diphtheria vaccination drive at King’s School after outbreak 

The Lagos State Authorities has launched a diphtheria vaccination drive at King’s School, Victoria Island Annexe, following an outbreak of the illness. 

The state well being authorities have activated emergency measures to comprise the unfold and shield college students. 

In an announcement by the state’s ministry of well being, the Commissioner for Well being, Prof. Akin Abayomi, confirmed that an Emergency Operations Committee (EOC) has been set as much as comprise the outbreak and stop additional unfold.

“The Lagos State Authorities has activated its Emergency Response Committee, following the outbreak of diphtheria within the boarding home of King’s School, Victoria Island Annexe,” the assertion learn.

Nairametrics earlier reported that folks raised alarm over the state of affairs, questioning the varsity’s response and sanitation requirements.

The way it began  

In accordance with Abayomi, the index case was a 12-year-old scholar who offered with a sore throat and fever on the faculty clinic on February 22. He was referred to the Lagos College Instructing Hospital (LUTH), the place he was recognized with diphtheria and handled with antibiotics and a full dose of diphtheria antitoxin serum.

“Regardless of the well timed intervention, the boy succumbed to progressive and irreversible irritation of the guts (myocarditis) on the sixth of March. Myocarditis is a extreme and acknowledged complication of the bacterial an infection brought on by the toxin,” Abayomi stated.

He additional disclosed that 34 shut contacts of the deceased scholar have been positioned underneath commentary, out of which 14 developed signs in keeping with diphtheria.

“Of those, 14 have developed signs in keeping with diphtheria. In response, the affected college students have been transported to the Youngsters’s Emergency Unit at Lagos College Instructing Hospital (LUTH), the place they have been screened by well being professionals,” he added.

Out of the 14 college students examined, 12 have been recognized with early indicators of diphtheria and admitted for therapy. The Commissioner assured that every one 14 symptomatic college students are responding nicely to therapy, and no new circumstances have been recorded.

Vaccination and prevention measures 

Following a preliminary inspection of King’s School Annexe, well being officers recognized areas needing improved an infection prevention and management measures.

• Consequently, the state authorities, in collaboration with federal well being companies, has commenced a focused vaccination marketing campaign for all college students in each the boarding facility at Victoria Island Annexe and the first educational campus at Igbosere Essential College.
• The Lagos State Authorities additionally famous that the World Well being Group (WHO), Nigeria Centre for Illness Management (NCDC), and Nationwide Major Well being Care Improvement Company (NPHCDA) have been notified and are working with the Lagos State Authorities to coordinate an efficient response.
• The state is at present distributing info leaflets to healthcare services detailing diphtheria signs, prevention, and early therapy choices.

A public well being announcement is being ready to sensitize Lagosians on the outbreak, urging them to observe for signs akin to sore throat, fever, issue in respiratory, and swollen neck glands.

State ensures security 

Prof. Abayomi suggested Lagos residents to take care of good hygiene, keep away from crowded environments, and search medical consideration if experiencing diphtheria-like signs.

“Early detection and therapy can save lives. Let’s all work collectively to curb this outbreak and shield our communities,” he acknowledged.

“The outbreak is underneath management and there’s no have to panic as a result of measures will proceed in earnest to guard our residents from infectious illness outbreaks.” 

He famous that the state has roughly 500,000 doses of diphtheria vaccines in inventory, which might be deployed to high-risk areas as a part of the emergency response. The State Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) will meet day by day to evaluate the state of affairs and make coverage selections. The Ministry of Fundamental and Tertiary Training may even be concerned to boost inter-agency coordination.