…75.65% of confirmed cases unvaccinated, partially vaccinated — DG
…Kano needs nine million vaccine doses for mass vaccination
By Juliet Umeh
The Kano State Centre for Disease Control, KSCDC, has disclosed that 1,747 people have died from diphtheria in the state since the outbreak began in December 2022, with 32,633 confirmed cases recorded.
The Director-General of the agency, Dr Muhammad Abbas, disclosed this while speaking on Channels Television, saying the disease had spread to all the 44 local government areas of the state.
Abbas, however, dismissed reports that 50 children recently died from diphtheria in Rano Local Government Area, describing the report as inaccurate.
According to him, Kano has recorded 39,536 suspected cases since the outbreak began, out of which 32,633 were confirmed.
“From the start of diphtheria till date, we have had a total of 39,536 suspected cases, out of which we have confirmed cases of 32,633.
“And like I said, it is affecting the 44 local government areas of the state.
“The fatalities we have are 1,744. Out of these confirmed cases, we have hospitalised 40.5 percent of them.
“So the agency and, indeed, the state are not shying away from giving the numbers.”
He subsequently clarified that the fatality figure had risen to 1,747.
“We have 1,747, so we cannot shy away from giving a number of 50,” he said, insisting that the reported 50 deaths in Rano were incorrect.
“In Rano Local Government, there was no such number. Rano had its own problem. It started in 2023. Until last week, we had 29, out of which we have three confirmed cases.
“Initially, two, but later on, when we went deep into the villages and did what we call active case searches, among the deaths, another child met the definition of diphtheria.
“So we now have three deaths from diphtheria in Rano Local Government. So there was no case of 50.”
The DG identified low vaccination coverage and late presentation as the major challenges confronting the state’s response, rather than a shortage of personnel.
He said only 24.35 per cent of the confirmed cases were fully vaccinated, while 75.65 per cent were either unvaccinated or partially vaccinated.
“Diphtheria is a vaccine-preventable condition. People who took vaccines tend to have fewer complications,” Abbas said.
He disclosed that Kano needed close to nine million vaccine doses to conduct mass vaccination across the state.
“What we need to do is mass vaccination. We need a very huge number, close to nine million doses of this vaccine, to do what we call ‘mass campaigns’, he said.
Abbas said the state currently had enough vaccines mainly for reactive vaccination in communities where cases were detected.
He disclosed that the federal government had supplied Kano with 500,000 vials of diphtheria vaccine for people above four years and 150,000 doses for children below four.
In a late presentation, he said: “Ninety-four percent were unvaccinated. Ninety-one per cent came late.”
According to him, simple cases are treated with antibiotics, while complicated cases require diphtheria antitoxin, DATS.
“Diphtheria antitoxin is not easy to come by. It is being supplied by the federal government to the Nigerian Centre for Disease Control,” he said.
Abbas also disclosed that the state was engaging traditional rulers and healers to improve awareness, tackle vaccine hesitancy and encourage early treatment.
“Yes, we have hesitancy, but the numbers have been tackled through the emirate,” he said.
He explained that diphtheria is an airborne and droplet-transmitted bacterial infection, with symptoms including cough, fever, drooling, neck pain and difficulty swallowing.
“At times when it is late, it gives us what we call the bull neck,” he said, adding that a greyish-white membrane in the throat is another characteristic sign of the disease.”
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