Vaccine hesitancy under the lens: Nigeria's struggle against the worst diphtheria outbreak in decades.

The resurgence of diphtheria in Nigeria, culminating in an outbreak surpassing previous records, has spotlighted the critical imperative for robust immunization policies amidst a milieu of vaccine hesitancy. This commentary delineates the multifaceted dimensions of the current diphtheria outbreak, which started in May 2022, juxtaposed against historical outbreaks, with a focal examination of the pervasive vaccine hesitancy and its underpinning sociocultural and systemic determinants. The discourse extends to a meticulous evaluation of Nigeria's public health response, underlined by the synergy with international organizations, reflecting a global collaborative ethos in combating the diphtheria menace.

Effect of traditional processing methods on the β-carotene, ascorbic acid and trypsin inhibitor content of orange-fleshed sweet potato for production of amala in Nigeria.

Background: The aim of the work was to study the effect of traditional processing methods on the β-carotene, ascorbic acid and trypsin inhibitor contents of orange-fleshed sweet potato amala. The most common sweet potato in Nigeria is white or yellow fleshed, which is very low in provitamin A. However, efforts are underway to promote orange-fleshed sweet potato to improve provitamin A intake.