![Antimicrobial Resistance [AMR] in Hausa](https://healthtoday.com.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/antimicrobial-resistance-AMR--360x180.jpeg)
The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) announced on Friday that between 2022 and 2024, the combined toll of diphtheria, measles, and meningitis has tragically resulted in 711 fatalities.
Dr. Jide Idris, the Director General of the NCDC, shared this sobering information during a press briefing in Abuja.
Dr. Idris highlighted that Nigeria, the most populous nation in Africa, has seen 507 reported cases of meningitis and 63 deaths since October 2023. Additionally, there have been 16,248 cases of diphtheria and 646 deaths since 2022. In the first five weeks of 2024 alone, the nation recorded 516 confirmed cases of measles and two deaths.
“At this juncture in our country, we are also tackling other disease outbreaks, including meningitis (with 507 cases and 63 deaths across 19 states), measles (with 915 suspected cases, 516 confirmed cases, and two deaths across 29 states), diphtheria (with 16,248 cases and 646 deaths across 22 states), and cholera,” Dr. Idris stated.
He emphasized that these statistics are alarming and completely unacceptable to the government. “Ensuring our health security is a collective responsibility,” he added.
Dr. Idris extended appreciation to the state governments, healthcare workers, and other stakeholders for their swift responses to the ongoing outbreaks across the nation. “We sincerely acknowledge and commend the efforts of all the affected state governments, including the Federal Capital Territory, the various State Ministries of Health, the numerous health workers, and other stakeholders who have taken charge of these situations in their respective states,” he expressed.
“In the spirit of collaboration, we will continue to support them,” he assured. “Health Security, as outlined in the four-point agenda by the Coordinating Minister of Health & Social Welfare, is considered critical by the current administration and is a collective responsibility. Our citizens also play a crucial role in terms of positive health behavior,” he concluded.
