The United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF) has urged an immediate widespread vaccination in the Northern part of Nigeria, following about 500 deaths from the breakout of diphtheria. The ongoing breakout started December 2022, with epicenter in Kano but also spread to Bauchi, Borno, Yobe, Katsina, Kaduna, and Jigawa. UNICEF and the Nigerian government have since imported 9 million doses of vaccination, with 4 million sent to Kano. Diphtheria, an acute bacteria disease that largely reflects in sore throats is worse amongst children that have not been vaccinated, estimated at 2.2 million in Nigeria.
