The Kano State Government has decentralised diphtheria treatment to 26 health facilities across the state to address late presentation of patients and reduce deaths associated with the disease.
The Director-General of the Kano State Centre for Disease Control (KNCDC), Prof. Muhammad Adamu Abbas, disclosed this during a press briefing in Kano.
Abbas explained that the decision was taken after the state observed that patients, particularly those from communities far from Kano metropolis, often lost valuable time travelling to the Infectious Diseases Hospital in the state capital for specialised diphtheria treatment.
He said treatment centres had consequently been established in Rano, Bichi, Danbatta, Wudil, Tudun Wada and other parts of the state.
According to him, the 26 facilities comprise 13 secondary and 13 primary healthcare centres, although more attention is currently being given to secondary facilities because of their capacity to provide specialised treatment.
The KNCDC boss noted that early presentation was critical because diphtheria could deteriorate rapidly.
“Most of them do not report to the hospitals early. Diphtheria is an acute illness. It can devastate within a short time,” he said.
Abbas disclosed that more than 39,000 suspected diphtheria cases had been recorded in Kano since December 2022, with over 32,000 confirmed through laboratory, clinical and epidemiological investigations.
He said more than 1,800 people had died from the disease during the period.
The DG, however, noted that Kano had substantially reduced its diphtheria burden from its peak between 2022 and early 2023, when the state accounted for more than 85 per cent of Nigeria’s reported cases.
He identified low vaccination coverage as a major concern, revealing that more than 16,000 of the confirmed cases were children who had never received any vaccination.
Abbas said the centre had also strengthened disease surveillance and active case searches in communities to ensure that suspected cases were detected and referred for treatment early.
He stressed that the KNCDC would continue to provide timely information on disease outbreaks to enable residents to take appropriate preventive measures.
The clarification followed reports that more than 50 children had died from diphtheria in Rano Local Government Area.
Abbas dismissed the claim, saying the state’s surveillance system had not recorded such a figure.
He said surveillance officers conducted an active case search in Rano following the report but found no evidence supporting the alleged number of deaths.
Follow the story
