The Children’s Ward of the Federal Teaching Hospital Katsina is operating beyond its available bed capacity as suspected and confirmed diphtheria cases continue to arrive from other health facilities in large numbers.
The hospital management made this known on Saturday, saying that the outbreak had placed severe pressure on the facility and caused serious overcrowding in the Children’s Ward.
The hospital did not state the number of children currently admitted or give the total number of diphtheria cases recorded across Katsina State.
The pressure has come from referrals as health facilities send patients to the teaching hospital for treatment. With the number of patients exceeding available beds, the hospital said it was making arrangements to accommodate and manage more children.
Children’s ward pushed beyond capacity
The hospital said it was providing care to affected children despite the shortage of bed spaces.
“The ongoing diphtheria outbreak in Katsina State has placed enormous pressure on the Federal Teaching Hospital Katsina, particularly the Children’s Ward.
“The hospital is receiving an overwhelming number of suspected and confirmed cases, as patients are being referred to the facility in large numbers. The situation has resulted in severe overcrowding, stretching available beds beyond capacity.”
The management said the hospital was doing everything within its capacity to provide timely and quality care to children affected by the outbreak.
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It said arrangements were being made to manage the rising number of patients even though there were not enough beds available.
“Despite these challenges, FTH Katsina is doing everything within its capacity to provide timely and quality care to affected children. The hospital is making necessary arrangements to accommodate and manage the increasing number of patients, even in the absence of sufficient available bed spaces.”
Healthcare workers have also continued caring for critically ill children under the pressure created by the outbreak.
“Healthcare workers continue to demonstrate commitment and resilience in ensuring that critically ill children receive the care they need while efforts are being made to respond effectively to the increasing patient load.”
The hospital management also called for coordination among health facilities and other stakeholders involved in dealing with the outbreak.
It said cooperation among the health facilities and other groups involved was needed to manage the number of patients and protect affected children.
“FTH Katsina remains committed to supporting the response to the outbreak,” the management said, adding that “a coordinated effort among all relevant health facilities and stakeholders is essential to effectively manage the situation and protect the lives of affected children.”
The hospital did not give details of how many suspected cases had been referred from other facilities or how many of those patients had been confirmed to have diphtheria.
Niger records 11 deaths
The situation in Katsina comes alongside an outbreak of diphtheria in Niger State, where 11 people have died in recent days.
The deaths occurred in Chanchaga and Katcha Local Government Areas of the state.
The Executive Director of the Niger State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr Junaidu Inuwa, disclosed the deaths on Friday.
He also said 74 patients had been treated and discharged from focal areas of Bida and Agaie Local Government Areas. Surveillance was also being carried out in Suleja Local Government Area.
Inuwa linked the high number of deaths in Niger State to parents and guardians who, he said, had denied their children access to vaccinations.
He spoke at a two-day capacity-building workshop on Strengthening Ward Development Committees on Community Engagement and Accountability to Affected Population in Minna.
The workshop was organised by the Niger State Primary Health Care Development Agency in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund.
Inuwa said community structures needed to play a bigger part in preventing diseases and helping families access vaccination.
“Most parents are not immunizing their children and the community structure needs to do a lot for us.
“I am sure most of you are aware that recently we have an outbreak of some diseases in Chanchaga and Katcha LGAs. There are 10 cases and all of them died. We even lost another patient on Tuesday at the General Hospital, Minna,” he said.
The figures he gave put the number of deaths at 11, including the patient who died on Tuesday at the General Hospital, Minna.
Inuwa appealed to women to give priority to early child education and asked them to encourage nursing mothers to take their children for immunisation.
The workshop also focused on strengthening community structures so they can help prevent disease and support access to basic services.
The Social and Behavioural Change Specialist of the United Nations Children’s Fund Kaduna Field Office, Ibrahim Mohammed, said the training was designed to build the capacity of community structures to provide health services to people.
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