No confirmed diphtheria case in Oyo — Makinde’s aide

The Oyo State Government has dismissed claims by the Senator Sharafadeen Alli Campaign Organisation (SSACO) that diphtheria is affecting several local government areas in the state, insisting that no case of the disease has been confirmed.

The government described the claims as misleading, saying official surveillance data showed suspected cases in only 10 local government areas, contrary to the 16 listed by the campaign organisation.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, the Special Adviser on Media to Governor Seyi Makinde, Dr Sulaimon Olanrewaju, said the government had put the necessary measures in place to manage suspected cases and prevent the spread of the disease.

“The Oyo State Government wishes to make it unequivocally clear that there is currently no confirmed case of diphtheria in Oyo State,” the statement said.

Olanrewaju said the state’s position was based on surveillance information provided by the Commissioner for Health, Dr Oluwaserimi Ajetunmobi, and the Ministry of Health’s Diphtheria Outbreak Surveillance Update for Epidemiological Week 40, 2026.

He said SSACO’s claim that the disease was affecting 16 local government areas, including Atisbo, Ibadan North-West, Oyo West, Akinyele, Saki, Egbeda, Oriire, Ibadan North, Ibadan South-West, Iwajowa, Ona Ara, Atiba, Lagelu, Ogbomoso North, Surulere and Oluyole, was not supported by official surveillance figures.

“Official figures from the Ministry of Health’s Diphtheria Outbreak Surveillance Update show suspected cases in only 10 LGAs, and none has been confirmed,” the statement said.

The government accused the campaign organisation of misrepresenting public health information for political purposes, warning that unverified claims about disease outbreaks could cause unnecessary public anxiety.

It described the circulation of what it called exaggerated outbreak claims as irresponsible, particularly when public health and childhood immunisation were involved.

Despite the absence of confirmed cases, the government said it had activated preparedness and response measures to manage suspected infections.

According to the statement, the Public Health Emergency Operations Centre had procured antibiotics and requested buffer stocks of diphtheria antitoxin (DAT).

It added that rapid response teams had been activated to respond to suspected cases in line with the 7-1-7 framework, while suspected patients had been isolated and treated at the Infectious Disease Centre, Olodo, with DAT and appropriate antibiotics.

“These steps reflect a government that takes public health seriously and acts proactively to protect its people,” the statement said.

The government also rejected SSACO’s claim that Oyo ranked lowest in childhood immunisation coverage in the South-West.

The campaign organisation had reportedly cited figures of 51.3 per cent in the 2024 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey and 55.0 per cent in the 2025–2026 survey to support its position.

However, the government said verified data from the 2025–2026 Nigeria Mini Demographic and Health Survey showed that Oyo’s basic antigen coverage was at the South-West average, while its coverage under the national immunisation schedule exceeded the zonal average.

“For children aged 24–35 months, Oyo’s full national schedule coverage is above the South-West average,” the statement said.

It consequently described the claim that the state ranked lowest in the region as inaccurate, insisting that the official figures did not support the conclusion.

On SSACO’s criticism of Oyo’s participation in the Immunisation Plus component of the IMPACT Project, the government said participation in the programme should not automatically be interpreted as evidence of failure.

It argued that the project covered multiple components and that comparing cumulative funds received under the programme with a single immunisation indicator was analytically unsound.

“The funds received under IMPACT are not free money, and the government has used them strictly for their intended purposes,” the statement said.

The government challenged SSACO to provide specific evidence if it had allegations of financial mismanagement, rather than relying on what it described as unrelated figures and unverified outbreak claims.

On the demand for the publication of IMPACT reports, Olanrewaju said the financial and implementation reports were subject to the project’s established audit and disclosure framework.

He added that the Ministry of Health remained open to scrutiny through appropriate channels, including the audit process.

“Scrutiny is legitimate; using an unverified outbreak as a stage for political messaging is not,” the statement said.

The government assured residents that it would continue to respond promptly to suspected cases, strengthen vaccination efforts and provide accurate public health information.

“The people of Oyo State deserve clarity, not concoctions; facts, not fabrications,” the statement added.