Govt, Lawmakers Disagree over Diphtheria Death Toll in Kano

Ahmad Sorondinki in Kano

A disagreement has erupted between Kano State lawmakers and the state government over the number of children who have died from the diphtheria outbreak in Rano Local Government Area of the state.

Ibrahim Muhammad, the member representing Rano constituency in the Kano State House of Assembly, told plenary that at least 50 children have died from the disease, warning that the outbreak is already spreading to other communities.

Moving a motion of urgent public importance, Muhammad said Ridin and Sabuwar Kaura communities are the worst affected, and called for immediate government action.

According to him, some emergency steps have already been taken, including buying drugs and sending health workers to the affected areas. But he said more support is urgently needed.

“We want to inform the state governor and the Commissioner for Health to send further emergency aid to the affected areas because the disease has spread heavily in the place,” Muhammad stated.

However, the Kano State Centre for Disease Control (KNCDC) gave a different figure.

Its Director-General, Prof. Muhammad Adamu-Abbas, told journalists in Kano that only two diphtheria deaths have been officially recorded in Rano LGA.

He said the data came from daily reports submitted by the Local Government Disease Surveillance and Notification Officer and the Assistant Officer stationed in Rano.

“The member representing Rano LGA presented cases of over 50 children who died in Rano. In the KNCDC, we have two representatives in Rano LGA who give us daily reports,” Prof. Adamu-Abbas said.

He added that other suspected cases have not been officially reported at health facilities.

To clarify the discrepancy, the DG said the centre would conduct verbal autopsies to investigate the circumstances surrounding the reported deaths and determine the actual cause.

The KNCDC urged residents to report all suspected cases to health facilities to enable proper tracking and response.