The Kano State Government has appealed to the Federal Government for additional diphtheria vaccines to enable the state to conduct mass vaccination across its 44 local government areas.
The Director-General of the Kano State Centre for Disease Control, Prof. Muhammad Abbas, made the appeal during a press briefing on Tuesday night following reports of a diphtheria outbreak in Rano and other parts of the state.
The Kano State House of Assembly had earlier raised concerns that the outbreak in Rano Local Government Area had reportedly resulted in the deaths of more than 50 children and urged Governor Abba Yusuf to take urgent action.
Abbas said the state had formally written to the Federal Government requesting more vaccines. He also urged parents and residents to report suspected cases early, stressing that prompt medical attention could save lives.
According to him, Kano currently has 126 disease surveillance and notification officers deployed across its 44 local government areas to monitor and respond to disease outbreaks.
The official expressed concern that some suspected cases were not being reported to health facilities, noting that delays in seeking treatment could make cases more difficult to manage.
He disclosed that Kano had recorded more than 38,000 suspected diphtheria cases since 2022, with over 31,000 confirmed cases. More than 55 per cent of the confirmed cases involved children who had received no vaccination, while more than 16 per cent were partially immunised.
Abbas said health officials were currently in Rano investigating the reported deaths. He explained that the team would conduct verbal autopsies where necessary to determine whether the deaths were caused by diphtheria or other illnesses.
The state government is therefore urging residents, particularly parents, to ensure that children receive the recommended vaccinations and that anyone showing symptoms of diphtheria is taken to a healthcare facility without delay.
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