UNICEF: Kano Constitutes 80% of Diphtheria Outbreak in Nigeria

Onuminya Innocent in Kano

The United Nations Children’s Education Fund (UNICEF) has stated that Kano State is responsible for 80 per cent of diphtheria outbreak in Nigeria.

The Chief of UNICEF Field Office in Kano, Mr. Rahma Mohammed Farah, disclosed this while addressing newsmen during a one day workshop tagged “Media Orientation on Diphtheria Outbreak,” which was organised by UNICEF in conjunction with Federal Ministry of Information in Kano, with participants drawn from various media organisation in Kano, Kaduna, Jigawa, Sokoto and Katsina States.

Farah further said that about 60.8 per cent of total suspected cases of diphtheria disease are from unimmunised children.

He, however, said that UNICEF delivered 1.2 million vaccines to the Kano State Government last week in its continuing support to the government to contain the Diphtheria outbreaks.

Farah, who emphasised the importance of routine immunisation as well as the danger related to the issue of zero doses, said that the majority of suspected victims of diphtheria are children who did not receive a single dose of vaccination against children’s killer diseases, including diphtheria.

He said: “So far, the highest numbers of cases of diphtheria are reported from Kano State. For example, the diphtheria disease has spread to 39 out of the 44 local governments in Kano State.

“Since January 2023, Kano State reported over 5,800 cumulative cases of Diphtheria in the state. Although, there was a decline in the reported case in June, however, as of July these diphtheria cases have been on the rise. As of last week, over 400 suspected cases with 11 deaths have been reported in Kano State.”

He further disclosed that the most affected local governments in the state included Ungogo with 2651 cases; Dala (989); Fagge (943); Gwale (714); Kumbotso (713); Nassarawa (538); Kano Municipal (506) and Tarauni (269).

He said that the UNICEF had done three rounds of vaccinations in the state between February and August this year. “So far, three rounds have been conducted, with 23,200 children vaccinated in round one, 277,796 children in round 2 and 29,500 children were vaccinated in round three.”

Also, the Director General of Kano State Primary Healthcare Management Board, Dr. Muhammad Mahmud, said that about 520 children are suspected to have lost their lives following the diphtheria outbreak in the state this year.

Mahmud said: “This year Kano reported about 8,700 suspected cases of diphtheria and 6,300 confirmed, with about 520 children suspected to have died of this illness.

“We tracked this on a daily and weekly basis. We believe the cases are much more than what we are getting, as we witness the increase of the cases from July.”

He added that the cases were reported from 39 local governments out of the 44 local governments in the state, while the cases worsened within the eight metropolitan local governments.

Mahmud, who described diphtheria as a threat to child survival, health and the well-being of children, said that UNICEF is collaborating with the government and other partners to respond to the emergency to save the lives of the children affected.

The Chief Communication, Advocacy and Partnership of UNICEF Nigeria, Mr. Rajat Madhok, has appealed to media organisations to create more awareness to the general public on the dangers of the disease.

Madhok assured that UNICEF is ready to give all necessary supports to the government and media in tackling the spread of the disease.

Participants were also trained on some of the symptoms of the disease, which includes fever, weakness of the body, swollen glands, sore throat among others.