One person has died from diphtheria, while three others have recovered following the confirmation of four cases at the Federal Medical Centre, Birnin Kudu, Jigawa State, this month.
The hospital’s Deputy Head of Clinical Services, Dr Yunus Mohammed Eze, disclosed this while speaking with journalists at the facility on Friday.
Eze said all four patients were admitted to the hospital’s isolation unit, where they received supportive treatment.
According to him, three patients responded to treatment and were discharged, while the fourth died.
He said the hospital had strengthened its disease surveillance system to prevent further transmission, adding that health workers who came in contact with the patients were being monitored.
“We have put surveillance measures in place to monitor those who provided care to the four identified cases so that if anyone develops symptoms, they can report early,” he said.
Eze identified isolation and contact tracing as critical measures for containing the disease and preventing its spread within the hospital and surrounding communities.
He urged parents to ensure their children received routine vaccinations, stressing that immunisation remained one of the most effective ways of preventing diphtheria and its complications.
The medical expert also advised parents to seek prompt medical attention whenever their children developed symptoms of illness rather than resorting to self-medication or ignoring warning signs.
He further cautioned residents against overcrowded environments and encouraged proper ventilation in homes, particularly as the harmattan season approaches.
On preparations against a possible Ebola outbreak, Eze said the hospital had reinforced its isolation facilities and activated emergency response measures following a directive from the Federal Ministry of Health.
He explained that the directive required health institutions to ensure the availability of personal protective equipment and other essential medical supplies.
“We received the directive, and the management immediately swung into action. Our isolation unit was strengthened, and we are prepared to isolate any suspected case,” he said.
However, Eze clarified that neither suspected nor confirmed cases of Ebola had been recorded at the hospital or anywhere in Jigawa State.
He added that the hospital was intensifying public awareness campaigns through its Infectious Diseases and Community Medicine units.
The facility, he said, was also working with the Jigawa State Media Corporation to educate residents on infectious diseases, their prevention and the importance of seeking timely medical care.
