West African countries have been battling the worst diphtheria outbreak on the continent for months. The problem can only be tackled if vaccination and treatment efforts are intensified. Affected countries need more support and faster to avoid more deaths.
Nigeria, where the first patients with diphtheria were confirmed in December 2022, is suffering the largest outbreak. But it is by no means the only country facing the disease: Algeria, Guinea, Mauritania and Niger have also reported cases of diphtheria, and the medical teams that Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has in several other West African countries have seen patients with characteristic symptoms of the disease.
Protection against diphtheria, a life-threatening bacterial infection, It is normally given through routine vaccination programs. However, in many countries these routine vaccination programs They have been greatly affected by the lack of funds and priorities.
“The numerous measles outbreaks we have seen in recent years were a clear warning sign that “Routine vaccination has not reached all boys and girls”says Dr. Dagemlidet Tesfaye Worku, head of emergency medical programs in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. “And now we see diphtheria emerging, which is even more worrying.”
It is therefore essential to ensure that the population is up to date on their vaccines. However, until now, only Nigeria has begun a crucial large-scale vaccination campaign. 65% of diphtheria patients in West Africa They never received a single dose of the vaccine. As a result, many people, and young girls and boys in particular, They are extremely vulnerable to the reappearance of vaccine-preventable diseases.
Belki and her son Sadik were immediately admitted when they showed up at the Murtala Mohamad specialized hospital, where MSF runs a diphtheria treatment centre. © Ehab Zawati/MSF
Between 30% and 40% of people sick with diphtheria They can die if they do not receive proper treatment. A specific antitoxin drug, called DAT, is needed to reduce the risk of death in diphtheria patients. But there is a global shortage of DAT, partly because manufacturers did not expect large outbreaks to occur with vaccination programs underway.
Furthermore, the sudden increase in demand for diphtheria vaccines in response to the current outbreaks also has caused a global shortage of vaccines. Manufacturers will need several months to offset this increase. If more countries are to need similar mass vaccination campaigns, timely access to vaccines may become a major challenge.
Vaccination is a key tool to control outbreaks and prevent the reappearance of other vaccine-preventable diseases. “But we are not seeing it happen,” says Dr. Dagemlidet Tesfaye Worku, “Not on the scale that is needed. The problem has been dormant for months, with hundreds of deaths. What is needed It is a truly massive increase in vaccination, as soon as possible”.
To achieve this, a significant increase in the production of vaccines containing diphtheria is urgently needed.
At Doctors Without Borders we urge the authorities to prioritize the response to the outbreak and seek all necessary support of international stakeholders and donors. International health organizations, such as WHO, GAVI and UNICEF, must support affected countries and offer them technical and financial support, as well as provide them with sufficient vaccines.
Humanitarian organizations must be included To expand the answer, including mass vaccination campaigns to reach remote and vulnerable populations. Only a great collective effort can change the situation.
2023-12-13 16:51:37
#MSF #warns #drastically #increase #vaccination #stop #deadly #diphtheria #outbreaks
