Reps push for diphtheria vaccination in schools after King’s College incident

The house of representatives has urged the federal government to ramp up diphtheria vaccination and awareness campaigns in schools nationwide.

The resolution was passed during plenary on Wednesday after lawmakers adopted a motion sponsored by Akin Rotimi, the house spokesperson.

The move comes after reports that several students at King’s College Lagos were hospitalised due to the disease.

Diphtheria is a bacterial infection caused by the corynebacterium species that affects the nose, throat, and sometimes the skin of an individual. Some symptoms of the disease include fever, runny nose, sore throat, cough, red eyes, neck swelling, and difficulty in breathing.

The disease has killed hundreds in the country in recent months — mostly children.

Moving the motion, Rotimi said the disease outbreak in the school “exposes significant lapses” in infection prevention and control (IPC) measures at federal unity colleges. 

He said there is an urgent need for a comprehensive and proactive nationwide strategy for health and safety in schools.

Lawmakers unanimously adopted the motion when it was put to a voice vote by Tajudeen Abbas, speaker of the house.

Subsequently, the house asked the federal ministry of health, the National Primary Health Care Development Agency ((NPHCDA), and the Nigeria Centre for Disease (NCDC) to “intensify diphtheria vaccination and awareness campaigns” in schools across the country to prevent future outbreaks.

The house also asked the government to take “immediate and decisive” measures to strengthen health and safety protocols in all federal unity colleges, particularly King’s College.