Thursday, March 13, 2025 -The House of Representatives has urged the federal government to intensify diphtheria vaccination and awareness campaigns in schools across the country. The resolution was passed during plenary on Wednesday, March 12, following the adoption of a motion sponsored by Akin Rotimi, the house spokesperson.
The move follows reports that several students at King’s College Lagos
were hospitalized due to a diphtheria outbreak. Diphtheria is a bacterial
infection caused by the Corynebacterium species that affects
the nose, throat, and sometimes the skin. Symptoms of the disease include
fever, sore throat, cough, runny nose, red eyes, neck swelling, and difficulty
breathing. In recent months, the disease has claimed the lives of hundreds,
mostly children.
In presenting the motion, Rotimi emphasized that the outbreak at King’s
College revealed significant lapses in infection prevention and control
measures at federal unity colleges. He stressed the urgent need for a
comprehensive nationwide health and safety strategy for schools.
The motion was unanimously adopted after being put to a voice vote by
House Speaker Tajudeen Abbas. Following the vote, the House called on the
Federal Ministry of Health, the National Primary Health Care Development Agency
(NPHCDA), and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) to "intensify
diphtheria vaccination and awareness campaigns" in schools across the
country to prevent future outbreaks.
Additionally, the House urged the government to take "immediate and
decisive" actions to strengthen health and safety protocols in all federal
unity colleges, with a particular focus on King’s College.
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