By Gift Chapi-Odekina, Abuja

The House of Representatives has directed the Federal Ministry of Education to take urgent steps to strengthen health and safety protocols in all federal unity colleges, with particular focus on King’s College, Lagos, following a recent diphtheria outbreak that claimed the life of a 12-year-old student and hospitalized several others.

The House also commended the Lagos State Government, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), and other health authorities for their swift response to the outbreak. Lawmakers urged continued collaboration between federal and state agencies to protect students’ health and well-being.

The resolution followed the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance moved by Rep. Akin Rotimi during Tuesday’s plenary session.

The House called on the Federal Ministry of Health, the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), and the NCDC to intensify diphtheria vaccination and awareness campaigns in schools across the country to prevent future outbreaks.

Additionally, the lawmakers directed the Federal Ministry of Education to conduct a comprehensive review of health infrastructure in unity colleges and establish a clear framework for handling infectious disease outbreaks in educational institutions.

In his lead debate, Rep. Rotimi expressed concern over the outbreak at King’s College, Lagos, citing serious lapses in infection prevention and control measures in federal unity schools.

He noted that the NCDC recorded 24,804 confirmed cases of diphtheria across 25 states between 2022 (week 19) and 2025 (week 04), with 1,269 fatalities across 18 states.

The lawmaker emphasized that the outbreak underscores the Federal Ministry of Education’s duty to ensure the health and safety of students in its institutions.

To prevent future incidents, the House directed the NCDC to establish and implement a structured disease surveillance system in all federal unity colleges for early detection and rapid response to infectious disease outbreaks.

Lawmakers also recommended that the Federal Government provide appropriate compensation to the family of the deceased student, acknowledging the tragic loss and the duty of care owed to students in federal institutions.

The House observed a moment of silence in honor of the late student and extended heartfelt condolences to his family and the King’s College community.

The motion was unanimously adopted, with the House mandating its Committees on Health and Basic Education to engage with relevant agencies, including the NCDC, to assess and improve infection prevention and emergency response measures in federal schools.