Ministry of health sets up taskforce to tackle outbreak of diphtheria disease.

The Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate has set up a task force to address diphtheria outbreak a disease that has claimed lives in recent times.

In a statement signed by

Special Assistant to the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Media and External Relations, Tashikalmah Hallah says the task force will operate in an emergency mode in order to forestall further spread to other states and bring succor to the populace.

The taskforce is to be co-chaired by the Executive Director of National Primary Health Care Development Agency, Faisal Shuaib and the Director General of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, NCDC, Ifedayo Adetifa

Other members of the taskforce include; Director of Public Health in the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, Anyaike Chukwuma, representatives from World Health Organization, United Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, Federal Ministry of Information and the Northern Traditional Leaders Committee on Primary Healthcare Delivery.

The taskforce is to liaise with the governors of the 14 infected states, Lagos, Osun, Federal Capital Territory, Nassarawa, Kaduna, Katsina, Yobe, Bauchi, Gombe, Borno, Zamfara, Jigawa, Kano and Plateau for counterpart funding, ownership and mass mobilization.