BY GODWIN ENNA and LONGTONG YAKUBU
Two to three out of every 10 diphtheria patients admitted to the Federal Teaching Hospital Katsina (FTH Katsina) may die from the disease, the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) has warned.
The chairman of the NMA, Katsina State branch, and Consultant in Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine at FTH Katsina, Dr Mohammed Abubakar, gave the warning while speaking on the ongoing outbreak, saying the hospital was under sustained pressure from rising cases, particularly among children.
He said 70 to 80 per cent of the hospital’s isolation centre was occupied by diphtheria patients, with about 20 of its estimated 20 to 25 beds occupied at the time of the interview.
According to him, between 80 and 90 per cent of the patients are children, while the hospital is receiving an average of 20 to 25 admissions, sometimes rising to about 50 cases a week.
“Out of 10 patients admitted, you may see two or three patients dying from diphtheria,” Abubakar said.
He attributed the high mortality partly to shortages of diphtheria antitoxin, a critical medicine used to neutralise toxins produced by the bacteria.
He said the antitoxin had been unavailable for months before a limited supply recently arrived through the government and donor interventions.
“It’s not only about giving antibiotics. The diphtheria antitoxin works faster to stop the toxin from causing more damage,” he explained.
Abubakar said FTH Katsina had been operating at full capacity for about a month, with the isolation centre becoming completely occupied about a week earlier, forcing health workers to make contingency arrangements in the emergency and paediatric units.
During a visit to the Murja Isolation Centre, several children were seen with their parents occupying available beds and seats, many with swollen throats and crying.
A staff member, who declined to be named, said the facility was overwhelmed, adding that more than 40 patients were on admission at the main ward serving as the isolation centre, while the Murja building was being used temporarily to receive new cases.
There was no official figure for the total number of confirmed cases recorded in Katsina at the time of reporting.
Abubakar said most patients arriving at FTH Katsina were referrals from primary and secondary healthcare facilities and often presented with advanced disease or complications.
“Most of the cases you see, most of them are referrals. By the time they are coming, they are either very sick or they are complicated,” he said.
He identified gaps in routine immunisation as a major factor behind the resurgence and urged the government to intensify vaccination, community sensitisation and the supply of essential medicines.
He also called for three to five additional functional isolation centres across the state to reduce pressure on FTH Katsina.
“We need at least three to four or five functional isolation centres around that can reduce the burden of patient admission and lack of bed space on FTH,” he said.
He appealed for sustained supplies of diphtheria antitoxin, antibiotics, intravenous fluids, personal protective equipment and other essential materials, and urged parents to seek immediate medical attention for children with persistent sore throat, fever, difficulty swallowing, excessive salivation or other symptoms suggestive of diphtheria.
