Two to three out of every 10 diphtheria patients admitted to the Federal Teaching Hospital Katsina (FTH Katsina) may die from the disease, a consultant at the hospital has warned.
The warning was issued by the Chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Katsina State branch, and Consultant in Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine at FTH Katsina, Dr Mohammed Abubakar.
Speaking on the ongoing diphtheria outbreak in the state, Abubakar said the hospital was under growing pressure as the number of cases, especially among children, continued to rise.
He said between 70 and 80 per cent of the hospital’s isolation centre was occupied by diphtheria patients, with about 20 of the centre’s estimated 20 to 25 beds occupied when he spoke.
According to him, more than 80 per cent of the patients were children, while the hospital was receiving an average of 20 to 25 diphtheria admissions, with weekly admissions sometimes reaching 50.
“Out of 10 patients admitted, you may see two or three patients dying from diphtheria,” Abubakar said.
He blamed the high death rate partly on shortages of diphtheria antitoxin, a medicine used to neutralise the toxins produced by the bacteria.
The NMA chairman said the antitoxin had been unavailable for months before a limited supply was recently received through 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 said.
Abubakar said the hospital had been operating at full capacity for about a month. He said the situation became particularly difficult about a week earlier when the isolation centre became completely occupied, forcing health workers to make temporary arrangements in the emergency and paediatric units.
A visit to the Murja Isolation Centre at FTH Katsina also showed the pressure on the facility, with children and their parents occupying available beds and seats. Some of the children were seen crying and showing symptoms including swollen throats.
A hospital staff member, who asked not to be named because he was not authorised to speak publicly, said health workers were overwhelmed by the number of cases.
The staff member said more than 40 patients were being treated in the main ward being used as the isolation centre, while the Murja building was serving as a temporary facility for receiving new cases.
Health authorities have introduced measures to reduce the spread of the disease, including keeping suspected and confirmed cases in dedicated isolation rooms and requiring healthcare workers to use personal protective equipment.
Abubakar said most of the affected children were below 10 years, particularly those aged between three and eight, although some adolescents and adults had also been diagnosed.
He said many patients were referred to FTH Katsina from primary and secondary healthcare facilities, often after their conditions had become severe or complications had developed.
“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.
The consultant identified gaps in routine immunisation as one of the major reasons for the resurgence of diphtheria, noting that children who had never been vaccinated or had incomplete vaccinations appeared to face greater risks.
He called for increased routine immunisation and community awareness, urging parents, caregivers and community leaders to ensure that children receive all required vaccines.
He also urged governments to ensure steady supplies of critical medicines and other materials, stressing that vaccination alone would not be enough when infected patients require urgent treatment.
