Expert say make Nigeria dey ‘worry’ over rising cases of Diptheria

Nigeria need to dey worry over rising cases of Diptheria wey so far don spread to 18 states, na so sabi pesin tok.

Dr Shuaibu Sani wey be expert on outbreak of diseases and how to stop dem (epidemiologist) tell BBC News Pidgin dey worry sake of di rising cases of di desease.

Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Federal ministry of health on Monday say di disease don kill 453 pipo and infect 7,202 pipo.

Dr Shuaibu wey dey work for Barau Dikko Hospital for Kaduna say anytime wey outbreak of disease happun na worrying time.

“Outbreak no mean say di disease no bin dey before e just mean say e don pass di normal level wey we sabi and dey spread dey go.”

“At di moment Nigeria suppose dey worry about Diptheria becos di figures wey comot no dey good for viewing and show say more efforts dey needed to tackle di problem.”

Di doctor among oda reasons blame lack of joint efforts to tackle di problem.

“Many pipo and groups dey wey dey do research and do oda tins to fight di disease but di problem be say no be joint efforts. All of us wey dey fight against dis disease suppose dey do am together.”

“For example now I fit do something wey be repetition of wetin somebody don do already but if all of us dey togeda, di fight go make more sense.”

Di joint statement from Federal Ministry of health, Nigeria Centre for Diseases Control and National Primary Healthcare Development Agency tok say.

“As of September 24th, 2023, na 11,587 reported suspected cases we get out of which 7,202 na confam cases from 105 local goment areas for 18 states including Federal Capital Territory (FCT).”

“Di most of di confam cases dey recorded in Kano and dem get 6185 cases.”

Why Kano get high number of cases

While states like Enugu, Imo and Nasarawa get just one case each Kano state for northwest Nigeria get 6,185.

Dis na as a result of high density according to Dr Shuaibu becos for Kano 8 to 10 pipo fit dey leave for di same house.

“If plenty pipo dey inside one house di chances of di disease spreading dey increase so na why Kano fit dey top di Diptheria list be dat.

“Environmental factors also dey becos areas wia dirty too plenty dey increase of not only Diptheria but oda diseases to dey spread.”

States and dia cases according to released figures Yobe (640), Katsina (213), Borno (95), Kaduna (16), Jigawa (14), Bauchi (8), Lagos (8), FCT (5), Gombe (5), Osun (3), Sokoto (3), Niger (2), Cross River (1), Enugu (1), Imo (1), Nasarawa (1) and Zamfara (1).

Di statement also add say di majority (73.6%) of confam cases dey happun among children aged 1 – 14 years.

How Nigeria fit overcome Diptheria problem

Di sabi pesin say vaccination and early detection na some of di ways Nigeria or any oda kontri fit overcome Diptheria.

“Some pipo when dem small dem no get or no complete di usual vaccinations wey dem suppose get and Diptheria vaccine dey dia so those pipo get high risk of getting it.

“So vaccination na key and parents must make sure dem take dia children for all di vaccinations.

“Early detection also dey necessary becos if ways dey to detect pesin wey get am very early di disease no go dey spread after medical pipo handle pesin wey first get am.”

Wetin be diphtheria

Diphtheria be one serious bacterial infection wey dey affect di mucous membranes of di nose and throat.

Diphtheria fit dey treated wit medicine.

But if e don enter advance stage, e fit damage di heart, kidneys and nervous system.

Even wit treatment, diphtheria fit dey deadly, especially for pikin dem.

Sign say you get Diphtheria

Diphtheria signs and symptoms usually start from two to five days afta pesin dey infected.

Signs and symptoms fit include:

One thick, gray membrane wey cover di throat and tonsils

One sore throat and hoarseness

Swell glands for di neck

Difficulty for breathing or rapid breathing

Nasal discharge

Fever and chills

Tiredness

For some pipo, infection wit bacteria wey dey cause diphtheria dey only dey cause sickness wey no too serious— or make pesin no see any signs and symptoms at all.

Pipo wey dey Infected wey no sabi say dem sick dey known as carriers of diphtheria. Dem dey call carriers sake of say dem fit spread di infection without any sickness themselves.