The United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF Nigeria has raised the alarm about the urgent need for widespread vaccination following four hundred and fifty-three reported deaths from the Diphtheria outbreak in the country.
The outbreak has so far resulted in over eleven thousand suspected cases and more than seven thousand confirmed cases, which has mostly claimed the lives of children.
In a press Statement signed by its Representative, Dr. Rownak Khan, UNICEF said that the Nigerian arm of the Fund needs to raise an additional three point three million US dollars to respond effectively to the outbreak.
Khan noted that most cases are children aged between 4 to 15 years who have not received even a single dose of the vital vaccine, laying bare the urgency of the vaccination situation in Nigeria.
According to Khan, “The devastating impact of this diphtheria outbreak is a grim reminder of the importance of vaccination.
“Nigeria is home to a staggering 2.2 million children who haven’t received even a single dose of vaccine – the second largest such cohort in the world. We must collectively take urgent actions to drastically reduce this number.Every child deserves protection from preventable diseases. This is not negotiable”, Khan started.
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