By Sandra Kenneth
At least 11 people have died following a fresh outbreak of diphtheria in Niger State, health authorities have confirmed.
The latest casualties, recorded in Chanchaga and Katcha Local Government Areas, bring the overall mortality toll to 17 out of 124 established cases reported between January and early August 2026.
The Executive Director of the Niger State Primary Health Care Development Agency (NSPHCDA), Dr. Junaidu Inuwa, disclosed the figures on Friday during a two-day capacity-building workshop in Minna.
Dr. Inuwa attributed the high mortality rate directly to vaccine refusal by parents and guardians.
“Most parents are not immunising their children, and the community structure needs to do a lot for us,” Dr. Inuwa said. “Recently, we had an outbreak of some diseases in Chanchaga and Katcha LGAs. There were 10 cases, and all of them died. We even lost another patient on Tuesday at the General Hospital, Minna.”
Despite the recent deaths, public health efforts have yielded progress elsewhere in the state. A total of 74 patients have been successfully treated and discharged across focal treatment centres in Bida and Agaie Local Government Areas, while active surveillance remains ongoing in Suleja LGA.
The Minna workshop—organized by the NSPHCDA in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)—focused on strengthening Ward Development Committees to boost community engagement, accountability, and disease prevention strategies.
Addressing participants, Dr. Inuwa urged mothers and community leaders to prioritize routine childhood immunizations and early childhood education.
Also speaking at the event, Ibrahim Mohammed, Social and Behavioural Change Specialist at UNICEF’s Kaduna Field Office, emphasized the need for a holistic approach to rural health.
“We are looking at an integrative approach to healthcare services across the community,” Mohammed stated, noting that the initiative aims to build local capacity across key sectors including healthcare, sanitation, nutrition, child protection, and basic education.
