Diphtheria outbreak: Katsina hospital runs out of bed space

MSF team vaccinating children against diphtheria. Photo credit: MSF

The ongoing diphtheria outbreak in Katsina State has placed the Federal Teaching Hospital Katsina under severe pressure, with a surge in suspected and confirmed cases overwhelming its Children’s Ward.

The hospital management, in a statement issued on Saturday, said the facility was receiving a large number of patients referred from other health facilities, stretching its available bed capacity beyond its limits.

According to the hospital, healthcare workers have continued to demonstrate commitment and resilience in ensuring that critically ill children receive the care they need while efforts were being made to respond effectively to the increasing patient load

The statement read, “The ongoing diphtheria outbreak in Katsina State has placed enormous pressure on the Federal Teaching Hospital Katsina, particularly the Children’s Ward.

“The hospital is receiving an overwhelming number of suspected and confirmed cases, as patients are being referred to the facility in large numbers. The situation has resulted in severe overcrowding, stretching available beds beyond capacity.”

“Despite these challenges, FTH Katsina is doing everything within its capacity to provide timely and quality care to affected children. The hospital is making necessary arrangements to accommodate and manage the increasing number of patients, even in the absence of sufficient available bed spaces.

“Healthcare workers continue to demonstrate commitment and resilience in ensuring that critically ill children receive the care they need while efforts are being made to respond effectively to the increasing patient load.”

The management added that necessary arrangements were being made to accommodate and manage the increasing number of patients despite the shortage of available bed spaces.

It also commended the resilience and dedication of healthcare workers, who, it said, had continued to provide care to critically ill children amid the growing pressure on the facility.

The hospital called for stronger coordination among health facilities and other stakeholders involved in the outbreak response, stressing that a concerted effort was needed to effectively manage the increasing patient load and protect affected children.

“FTH Katsina remains committed to supporting the response to the outbreak,” the management said, adding that “a coordinated effort among all relevant health facilities and stakeholders is essential to effectively manage the situation and protect the lives of affected children.”

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The hospital did not disclose the number of diphtheria patients currently admitted or the total number of cases recorded in Katsina State.

Meanwhile, 11 people have died following an outbreak of diphtheria in Niger State.

The deaths, which were recorded in the last few days, occurred in Chanchaga and Katcha Local Government Areas of the state.

Sunday PUNCH also learnt that 74 patients were treated and discharged from focal areas of Bida and Agaie Local Government Areas, alongside surveillance in Suleja Local Government.

The Executive Director of the Niger State Primary Health Care Development Agency, Dr Junaidu Inuwa, who made this disclosure on Friday, blamed the casualty rate on parents and guardians who, he said, had denied their children access to vaccinations.

He said at a two-day capacity-building workshop on Strengthening Ward Development Committees on Community Engagement and Accountability to Affected Population in Minna, organised by the State Niger State Primary Health Care Development Agency in collaboration with United Nations Children’s Fund, that the goal was to ensure that community structures were adequately engaged, empowered and educated for prevention of diseases.

“Most parents are not immunizing their children and the community structure needs to do a lot for us.

“I am sure most of you are aware that recently we have an outbreak of some diseases in Chanchaga and Katcha LGAs. There are 10 cases and all of them died. We even lost another patient on Tuesday at the General Hospital, Minna,” he said.

Inuwa appealed to the women to prioritise early child education and charged them to encourage nursing mothers to take their children for immunization.

The Social and Behavioural Change Specialist of the United Nations Child Education Fund, UNICEF Kaduna Field Office, Ibrahim Mohammed, in his remarks, said the main aim of the capacity-building was to strengthen their capacity to be able to provide health, wash, nutrition, child protection and education to the citizens.

“We are looking at an integrative approach to healthcare services across the community,” he said.