MSF Concludes Diphtheria Response, Vaccinates 835,000 Kids

Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has successfully concluded its three-year emergency response to the diphtheria outbreak in Kano State, Nigeria, having administered a total of 835,028 vaccine doses to children. The mass vaccination campaign, which marked the end of the emergency response, was conducted in collaboration with the Kano State Ministry of Health.

The first round of vaccinations took place from April 20 to 27, 2026, reaching 348,080 children, while the second round from June 20 to 24, 2026, vaccinated 486,948 children across 20 wards. Despite the decline in cases attributed to the vaccination efforts, diphtheria continues to pose a serious health threat, particularly to children under 14 years who have not received complete routine immunizations.

The Kano State Ministry of Health reported 31,900 suspected cases and 1,260 deaths from March 2022 to March 22, 2026. MSF's project coordinator, Abdoul Aziz Djibrilla, emphasized the need for sustained investment in routine immunization and disease surveillance to prevent future outbreaks.