Amid the most severe diphtheria outbreak in recent global history, the United Nations Children’s Fund in Nigeria is sounding the alarm about the urgent need for widespread vaccination.
UNICEF, in a statement on Wednesday, said it was providing urgent support to the Nigerian government in its efforts to combat the outbreak.
It added that to respond effectively to the outbreak, UNICEF Nigeria said it needed to raise an additional $3.3m by the end of the year.
UNICEF representative, Dr Rownak Khan, noted that “the devastating impact of this diphtheria outbreak is a grim reminder of the importance of vaccination. Nigeria is home to a staggering 2.2 million children who haven’t received even a single dose of vaccine – the second largest in the world.
“We must collectively take urgent actions to drastically reduce this number. Every child deserves protection from preventable diseases. This is not negotiable.”
