Diphtheria Outbreak: Edo Govt Moves to Act as Citizens Demand School Closures

Diphtheria Outbreak: Edo Govt Moves to Act as Citizens Demand School Closure

The Edo State Government has assured residents that urgent measures are underway to contain the outbreak of diphtheria, which has already claimed two lives at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH).

Deputy Governor Dennis Idahosa made this known on Sunday while speaking to journalists after a thanksgiving event for his predecessor, Comrade Philip Shaibu, newly appointed Director General of the National Sports Institute (NIS).

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Idahosa revealed that a taskforce had been mobilized and that visits to Primary Health Centres (PHCs) across the state would commence on Monday to assess their functionality in combating the outbreak.

“We are doing everything we can to manage the outbreak. A few days ago, we held a taskforce meeting and by Monday, we begin PHC inspections statewide,” he stated.

Meanwhile, a civil group, the Concerned Edo Citizens Forum (CEDCF), has raised alarm over the growing spread of the disease. In a letter to Governor Monday Okpebholo, the group called for immediate closure of schools, enforcement of face masks, and restrictions on social gatherings to curb further transmission.

“Our hospitals are overwhelmed, and the number of infections is rising,” the letter signed by Comrade Roy Orihbhaor and Austin Ibude reads. “We commend your efforts so far, but a more radical approach is urgently needed.”

The group warned that failure to act decisively could worsen the situation, stressing that a healthy society is essential for the state’s growth and stability.