Kano Seeks More Diphtheria Vaccines Amid Outbreak

The Kano State Government has appealed to the Federal Government for additional diphtheria vaccines to facilitate mass vaccination across the state due to a reported outbreak in Rano and other local government areas, which has led to the deaths of over 50 children. Prof. Muhammad Abbas, the Director-General of the Kano State Centre for Disease Control (KNCDC), made this request during a news conference on Tuesday night.

He urged parents to report diphtheria cases early to healthcare facilities for prompt treatment, noting that many cases remain unreported. Since 2022, there have been over 38,000 diphtheria cases in Kano, with more than 31,000 confirmed.

Alarmingly, over 55% of these cases involve children who have not received any vaccinations. The Kano State House of Assembly has also called for urgent intervention from Governor Abba Yusuf regarding the outbreak.

Prof. Abbas stated that his team is currently investigating the situation in Rano and conducting verbal autopsies to understand the causes of the deaths.