More than 50 children have reportedly died following a diphtheria outbreak in parts of Rano Local Government Area of Kano State, prompting the State House of Assembly to demand urgent government intervention.
The alarm was raised on Monday by the lawmaker representing Rano Constituency, Hon. Ibrahim Malami, who presented a motion of urgent public importance before the House.
Malami said the deaths were recorded in Rurum A, Rurum B and Sabuwar Kaura communities, all within Rurum Ward of the local government.
According to him, the medical department of Rano LGA has already begun emergency intervention efforts, while his office has supported the response through the provision of essential drugs.
However, concerns over the outbreak deepened when Usman Abubakar Tasiu, representing Kiru Constituency, reported that new cases had emerged in Kwana Dangora, Dangora and Yelwa communities.
Tasiu also recounted the death of two siblings from the same family on the same day, describing the incident as a painful indication of the seriousness of the outbreak.
With fears that the disease could spread to more communities, lawmakers called for the establishment of a coordinated emergency response committee to oversee disease surveillance, treatment, vaccination and public awareness.
The proposed intervention would cover Rano, Kiru, Tudun Wada, Kibiya, Bunkure and Bebeji local government areas.
Contributing to the debate, the lawmaker representing Dawakin Tofa Constituency, Saleh Ahmad, warned that diphtheria could spread rapidly in communities with low immunisation coverage.
He therefore called for an aggressive vaccination campaign, particularly in communities considered vulnerable to the disease.
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The Majority Leader of the House, Lawan Husseini, meanwhile, urged the Kano State Government to activate the provisions of the Kano State Health Protection Law.
He said the law empowers the government to provide free emergency healthcare and take other extraordinary measures necessary to contain outbreaks of infectious diseases.
The lawmakers’ intervention comes amid growing concerns over the reported spread of diphtheria and the need for immediate vaccination, treatment and public health measures to prevent further loss of lives.
