At least ten children have lost their lives following a fresh outbreak of diphtheria in Agaie and Bida Local Government Areas of Niger State.
According to Gist9ja, the victims were rushed to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Bida, but later died from complications linked to the disease. Additional fatalities have also been recorded in surrounding communities since the outbreak began, raising fears of wider spread.
A resident of Bida, who pleaded anonymity, expressed concern over the rising death toll and called for urgent government intervention. “This is a matter of life and death, and we appeal to the state government to urgently provide drugs to Bida and Agaie general hospitals to curb the spread of the disease to other areas,” he told reporters.
Confirming the outbreak, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Tertiary Health Care, Dr. Mohammed Gana, said the Niger State Government, in collaboration with health agencies, had mobilised resources to contain the situation and supply essential medication.
The development marks yet another wave of diphtheria infections in Niger State, which has been repeatedly hit by the disease. In 2023, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) flagged the state during a nationwide surge that claimed hundreds of lives, particularly among children under 14. Many of those deaths were linked to poor vaccination coverage and delays in accessing treatment.
Earlier in 2024, sporadic cases were also reported in parts of Kontagora and Suleja, prompting temporary vaccination drives. However, the latest resurgence in Bida and Agaie has reignited concerns that inconsistent immunisation campaigns and overstretched rural health facilities are leaving children increasingly vulnerable.
Health experts have cautioned that beyond emergency response measures, Niger State urgently needs consistent vaccination campaigns, stronger public awareness, and better-equipped rural hospitals to prevent diphtheria from becoming a recurring public health crisis.
