Amid the recent outbreak of Diphtheria a communicable disease, the Kano State Centre for Disease Control (KNCDC) has demanded the urgent supply of 9 million doses of vaccines to curtail the spread of the infectious disease.
The Centre’s demand comes on the heels of a recent outbreak in communities in Rano Local Government Area of Kano State, where a number of victims, including children, have reportedly died.
Worried by the outbreak and the possible spread to other communities, the Federal Ministry of Health on Thursday deployed 500,000 doses of vaccines and a special task force to coordinate rapid surveillance and response efforts in Kano and Katsina states.
Briefing journalists on the latest outbreak, the Director-General of the KNCDC, Prof. Muhammad Adamu Abbas, raised concern over the growing number of children who have zero dose vaccine in the state.
Prof. Abbas said that, given the increasing number of vulnerable children who have never received any form of immunisation, Kano requires no fewer than 9 million doses of vaccines to tackle the infectious disease.
He explained that, disturbed by the growing population of children who had never received immunisation across the 784 wards in the state, the Kano State Government had resolved to procure the vaccines, with the approval of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), but was subsequently restricted by the Federal Ministry of Health.
The DG, who explained why hundreds of children in rural communities are susceptible to infectious diseases, including diphtheria, disclosed that more than 16,000 children in communities across Rano are zero dose carriers.
Besides, the DG narrated how traditional barbers had contributed to the crisis by cutting the membrane, a thick, greyish-white layer that can form in the throat of children suffering from diphtheria.
He expressed concern that, while some parents of affected children refused to report suspected cases to the nearest medical centre, they often resorted to local healers and traditional practices, which could damage vital organs and cause serious complications.
According to him, “We have had several cases where parents would keep their sick children even as their conditions get worse. In many cases, they would rather call local barbers to cut off the children’s membrane, causing wounds and bleeding. Many of these cases result in death.”
On the controversial figures surrounding diphtheria casualties in Rano, the DG insisted that the Centre had never concealed information on cases or deaths recorded during outbreaks.
He said that from 2022 to date, about 39,000 suspected cases had been reported, of which 32,000 tested positive, while 1,800 people had died from diphtheria.
“We have our field volunteers across all our secondary healthcare facilities designated to record outbreaks and take note of reported cases. So far, we have had 39 active cases reported from January to August 2026 in Rano.
“Twenty-five cases have been treated, while two deaths have been recorded in Rano. We found that 94 per cent of all these cases involved children who had received zero doses of vaccines, while 91 per cent of cases were reported very late.
“We had earlier requested 6 million doses, but to cover children who have received zero doses, Kano needs no fewer than 9 million doses of vaccines,” Prof. Abbas added.
A member representing Rano State Constituency in the Kano State House of Assembly, Hon. Ibrahim Mohammad, had raised the alarm during the plenary over the alleged deaths of more than 50,000 children as a result of complications arising from diphtheria.
The lawmaker challenged the executive to find a lasting solution to curtail the spread of the disease.
Professor Abbas, however, admitted that some deaths might have occurred without the knowledge of field officers.
He promised that the Centre would intensify risk communication, awareness creation, and early surveillance and response to ensure the prompt detection and confirmation of cases.
