Katsina Intensifies Ebola Surveillance, Strengthens Diphtheria Response Ahead Of Polio Campaign

The Katsina State Government has stepped up measures to prevent the outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease and curb the spread of diphtheria, while intensifying preparations for the November 2026 polio vaccination campaign.

State Commissioner for Health, Hon. Musa Adamu Funtua, disclosed this during the Emergency Preparedness and Response Committee meeting on Ebola readiness, diphtheria outbreak response and preparations for the upcoming polio campaign, held at the Polio Emergency Operations Centre in Katsina.

The Commissioner said the recent confirmation of an Ebola case in the Federal Capital Territory on October 20, 2026, underscores the need for heightened vigilance across the country, noting that although Katsina has not recorded any case, the state has been classified as having a moderate risk of importation due to its strategic location and international entry points.

He explained that the state has activated a comprehensive preparedness strategy, including the engagement of health authorities at the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua International Airport and other points of entry, enhanced disease surveillance, community sensitisation, harmonisation of a multisectoral response plan, and the designation of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control isolation facility at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Katsina, to manage any suspected Ebola cases.

Hon. Funtua added that the government is also strengthening the capacity of frontline health workers through specialised training, provision of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), infection prevention and control materials, as well as deploying three fully equipped ambulances to serve the state’s three senatorial zones for emergency referrals.

According to him, the state is working closely with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), the Federal Ministry of Health, Port Health Services, the Ministry of Livestock and Grazing Reserves, the Ministry of Environment, development partners, as well as traditional and religious institutions, civil society organisations and community leaders to strengthen disease surveillance and emergency response.

On the ongoing diphtheria outbreak, the Commissioner stressed the need to reinforce surveillance, early case detection, prompt referral, contact tracing, vaccination, effective clinical management and community awareness to prevent further transmission and reduce avoidable deaths.

He urged local government authorities, health facilities and development partners to close operational gaps by ensuring suspected cases are promptly reported, contacts adequately managed, treatment commodities remain available, and eligible populations receive routine and outbreak-response vaccinations.

Speaking on the November 2026 polio immunisation campaign, Hon. Funtua called for thorough planning, quality micro-planning, adequate training of vaccination teams, vaccine and logistics readiness, security coordination, community mobilisation and real-time monitoring to guarantee the success of the exercise.

He emphasised that special attention must be given to underserved, mobile and nomadic populations, as well as communities affected by insecurity, to ensure that every eligible child is vaccinated.

The Commissioner noted that effective preparedness depends on strong coordination, timely information sharing, adequate resource mobilisation and the implementation of agreed action plans, urging all stakeholders to align their interventions with the state’s public health priorities.

The meeting was attended by representatives of relevant Ministries, Departments and Agencies, development partners and other stakeholders, who deliberated on strategies to strengthen Katsina State’s preparedness against public health emergencies.