Kano Battles Diphtheria: Urgent Measures and Federal Task Force Deployed to Combat Deadly Outbreak

Nigeria's federal government and Kano State authorities have initiated comprehensive responses to diphtheria outbreaks affecting Kano and Katsina states.

Following reports of cases and deaths, particularly in the Rano Local Government Area of Kano State, a multi-agency task force was established at the federal level, complemented by a special committee constituted by the Kano State Government.

Diphtheria is a serious and highly contagious bacterial infection caused by Corynebacterium diphtheriae, spreading primarily through respiratory droplets from infected individuals or close contact.

Symptoms include fever, sore throat, and the formation of a thick grey or white membrane in the throat, which can obstruct breathing. Severe cases risk heart and nerve damage.

The most effective protection remains vaccination with diphtheria toxoid containing vaccines, such as the pentavalent vaccine routinely given to infants. Since the outbreak began in 2022, Nigeria has recorded over 40,000 suspected diphtheria cases and more than 1,000 deaths.

The federal government's emergency multi-agency task force, directed by the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate, aims to protect children and strengthen Nigeria’s capacity to prevent and respond to disease outbreaks.

This task force is mandated to strengthen surveillance, close immunisation gaps, and expand access to treatment. Its immediate actions include investigating cases, intensifying community sensitisation, and deploying 500,000 doses of vaccines to Kano and Katsina states.

Additionally, it is working with the Katsina State government to establish hospital treatment annexes across the Katsina, Daura, and Funtua senatorial districts to facilitate early care closer to affected communities.

Emergency support, including diphtheria antitoxin (DAT), intravenous antibiotics, additional clinical personnel, and personal protective equipment (PPE), is being mobilised for referral services at the Federal Teaching Hospital in Katsina.

The task force comprises the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC), the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), affected state governments, and international health partners like the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), with co-chairs from the NCDC Director General and the Director of Public Health.

Concurrently, the Kano State Government established its special committee to coordinate efforts to contain the outbreak within the state.

Chaired by Prof. Muhammad Adamu Abbas, Director-General of the Kano State Centre for Disease Control (KNCDC), this committee is tasked with conducting a comprehensive assessment of the outbreak and preventing its spread.

Its mandate includes investigating and verifying reported diphtheria cases and deaths, strengthening disease surveillance, ensuring daily reporting by Disease Surveillance and Notification Officers, establishing a centralised data registry, identifying immunisation gaps, intensifying community mobilisation and sensitisation, and ensuring the timely supply of essential medical commodities to designated treatment centres.

Members include key health officials from the State Primary Healthcare Management Board, Hospitals Management Board, and representatives from the Kano, Rano, Karaye, and Gaya emirate councils.

Both the federal and state governments have reaffirmed their commitment to protecting Nigerian children from vaccine-preventable diseases and ensuring a swift, coordinated, and evidence-based response to bring the outbreak under control.

They urge residents, community leaders, and other stakeholders to cooperate with health authorities by promptly reporting suspected cases and supporting ongoing public health interventions.