Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has warned that shortages of a lifesaving drugs are forcing medical groups to ration treatment for diphtheria sufferers in northern Nigeria, the place greater than 28,000 confirmed infections and 1,100 deaths have been reported this yr.
The warning comes as figures attributed to the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) present that the outbreak continues to unfold, notably amongst youngsters who’re unvaccinated or haven’t obtained all their really useful vaccine doses.
In an announcement issued on Friday, MSF mentioned provides of diphtheria antitoxin (DAT), which neutralises the toxin chargeable for doubtlessly deadly issues, have been dangerously low.
The organisation known as on federal and state authorities, donors and worldwide companions to urgently safe extra medicines and vaccines, guarantee their well timed clearance at ports and enhance distribution to affected communities.
Treatment scarcity threatens sufferers
MSF’s Medical Coordinator in Nigeria, David Kizito, warned that the scarcity may compromise the treatment of severely unwell sufferers.
“Our stocks are dangerously low, and we risk being unable to treat children and save lives as the outbreak continues,” he mentioned.
Diphtheria is a vaccine-preventable bacterial an infection that may trigger fever, sore throat and a thick membrane within the throat, generally obstructing respiratory. Severe infections can harm the center, nerves and kidneys.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), diphtheria antitoxin neutralises toxins circulating within the bloodstream, whereas antibiotics assist remove the micro organism and scale back transmission.
Early administration of antitoxin is especially essential as a result of it can not reverse harm as soon as the toxin has entered physique cells.
MSF mentioned restricted international manufacturing and inconsistent availability had left treatment services struggling to acquire sufficient provides.
However, the organisation didn’t specify which services had exhausted their shares, what number of sufferers had been unable to acquire treatment or whether or not any deaths have been instantly attributable to the shortages.
Nigeria records 1,126 deaths
The warning comes amid a protracted outbreak that started in late 2022.
PREMIUM TIMES studies {that a} scenario report issued on 11 November by the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and the Nigerian Red Cross Society, citing NCDC knowledge, signifies that Nigeria recorded 37,529 suspected diphtheria circumstances, 28,151 confirmed infections and 1,126 deaths in 2026 as of 7 November.
The report mentioned the outbreak had affected 26 states and the Federal Capital Territory, overlaying 361 native authorities areas.
Kano accounted for 12,008 confirmed circumstances, roughly 43 per cent of the nationwide complete.
The figures are considerably increased than these in MSF’s newest assertion, which relied on NCDC statistics from 9 August, when 406 deaths had been reported for 2026.
The distinction displays reporting from separate intervals and will embody subsequent updates to surveillance records.
Katsina: 70 extreme circumstances in 18 days
In Katsina State, MSF reported managing 86 diphtheria circumstances between 26 October and 12 November, together with 70 categorised as extreme and 16 as non-severe.
Severe infections accounted for about 81 per cent of the sufferers managed by its groups throughout the interval, though the figures don’t symbolize the severity of all diphtheria infections recorded throughout the state.
MSF mentioned its groups additionally reached 1,315 contacts by means of surveillance and contact-tracing actions. Of these, 1,301 obtained vaccinations, whereas 1,311 got preventive antibiotics.
The organisation didn’t present the areas of the circumstances or a breakdown of recoveries and deaths.
The growth follows earlier issues concerning the capability of well being services to handle the outbreak.
On 31 August, PREMIUM TIMES reported that the Federal Teaching Hospital (FTH), Katsina, was battling an inflow of suspected and confirmed diphtheria sufferers, leaving its youngsters’s ward underneath appreciable stress.
The hospital attributed the overcrowding partly to referrals from different services throughout the state.
In response, the federal authorities introduced an emergency multi-agency activity drive to strengthen surveillance, immunisation and entry to treatment in Katsina and Kano.
The intervention included plans to produce extra antitoxin, antibiotics, medical personnel and protecting gear to FTH Katsina.
Authorities additionally introduced plans to determine treatment annexes throughout Katsina’s three senatorial districts — Katsina, Daura and Funtua — to cut back stress on the referral hospital.
MSF’s newest assertion didn’t point out whether or not these services had develop into operational or how a lot extra antitoxin had been delivered for the reason that intervention was introduced.
Zamfara vaccine scarcity
In neighbouring Zamfara State, MSF mentioned its supported services in Gusau recorded greater than 671 diphtheria admissions over roughly one month starting on 6 October.
Most sufferers have been youngsters, whereas 4 out of each 5 had not been vaccinated.
The organisation additionally reported a considerable shortfall in vaccine provides for an emergency immunisation marketing campaign.
Of the 90,000 doses required, solely 25,000 had been provided, representing roughly 28 per cent of the acknowledged requirement.
MSF mentioned it was working with authorities well being authorities to safe the excellent doses and increase vaccination actions.
The shortfall highlights the persevering with difficulties dealing with efforts to guard youngsters in opposition to the illness.
In October, PREMIUM TIMES reported that the Executive Director of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Muyi Aina, mentioned about 93 per cent of youngsters affected by current diphtheria outbreaks had not obtained their full really useful vaccine doses.
Mr Aina mentioned some had by no means been vaccinated, whereas others had obtained fewer than the three really useful doses. He recognized misinformation and vaccine hesitancy among the many challenges affecting immunisation uptake.
MSF’s response
Despite the challenges, MSF mentioned its groups had handled greater than 9,000 diphtheria sufferers by means of facility-based and group interventions for the reason that starting of its 2026 response.
In Kano, the organisation supported vaccination campaigns in April and June, administering greater than 835,000 doses to youngsters in partnership with the state Ministry of Health.
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It additionally supported two vaccination rounds in Sokoto between February and April, reaching 49,018 youngsters underneath 15.
The organisation mentioned it was supporting treatment, surveillance, an infection prevention and vaccination efforts in a number of northern states, alongside authorities well being authorities.
MSF known as for elevated international manufacturing of diphtheria antitoxin and sustained funding in routine childhood immunisation to stop additional outbreaks.
The newest warning additionally attracts renewed consideration to the emergency measures introduced by the federal authorities in August, notably the supply of antitoxin provides and the proposed growth of treatment services in Katsina.
The extent to which these interventions have improved entry to treatment stays to be established.
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