The United Nations Children’s Education Fund (UNICEF) revealed that Kano State alone accounted for about 80 per cent of the Diphtheria outbreak in the country.
Mr. Rahma Mohammed Farah, the Chief of the UNICEF Field Office in Kano, made this statement during a one-day workshop titled “Media orientation on the diphtheria outbreak,” organised by UNICEF in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Information in Kano. Participants were drawn from various media organisations in Kano, Kaduna, Jigawa, Sokoto, and Katsina States.
Farah also mentioned that about 60.8 per cent of the total suspected cases of Diphtheria were from unimmunized children.
To combat the disease, UNICEF recently delivered 1.2 million vaccines to the Kano State government as part of its ongoing support in responding to the Diphtheria outbreaks.
Farah emphasised the importance of routine immunisation and the risks associated with zero doses, stating that the majority of suspected Diphtheria victims were children who had not received a single dose of vaccination against the disease.
He highlighted the alarming number of reported Diphtheria cases in Kano State, which spread to 39 out of its 44 Local Government Areas (LGAs). Since January 2023, Kano State has reported over 5,800 cumulative cases of Diphtheria, with a recent rise in cases.
Local governments in the state most affected by the outbreak include Ungogo, Dala, Fagge, Gwale, Kumbotso, Nassarawa, Kano Municipal, and Tarauni.
UNICEF conducted three rounds of vaccinations in the state between February and August this year, vaccinating thousands of children to curb the outbreak.
Dr. Muhammad Mahmud, the Director General of the Kano State Primary Healthcare Management Board, stated that approximately 520 children were suspected to have lost their lives due to the Diphtheria outbreak in the state this year.
He emphasised the severity of Diphtheria as a threat to child survival and health, acknowledging UNICEF’s collaboration with the government and other partners to respond to the emergency and save the lives of affected children.
Rajat Madhok, Chief Communication, Advocacy, and Partnership Officer at UNICEF Nigeria, appealed to media organisations to raise awareness about the dangers of the disease among the general public.
UNICEF assured its readiness to provide the necessary support to both governments and the media in tackling the disease and curbing its spread.
Participants were also trained on recognising symptoms of the disease, such as fever, weakness, swollen glands, and a sore throat, among others.
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