Following a marked increase in diphtheria cases in Bauchi State, the Bauchi State Ministry of Health (MoH) initiated an emergency public health response to contain the outbreak, with Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) providing technical and operational support.

As part of the initial response, a 20-bed Diphtheria Treatment Centre (DTC) was established at the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching Hospital (ATBUTH) under MoH leadership. With continued increases in admissions, the DTC was later relocated to the State Specialist Hospital, where the initial bed capacity of 40 beds was further expanded to 50 beds to improve access and accommodate patient volume.

As transmission intensified, the MoH, with support from MSF, secured diphtheria vaccines to curb further spread of the disease. Based on epidemiological surveillance, Bauchi Local Government Area (LGA) was identified as the most affected area, with cases reported from 12 of the 20 wards. This informed the MoH-led decision to implement a targeted vaccination strategy focusing on these high-burden wards.

The first round of the Bauchi diphtheria vaccination campaign was conducted in December 2025 across the 12 identified wards within Bauchi metropolis. Approximately 329,000 people were vaccinated.

Building on these gains, the MoH, with continued support from MSF, has commenced a second round of vaccination in the same 12 wards to consolidate population immunity and interrupt remaining transmission chains.