More than 50 children have reportedly died from a diphtheria outbreak in Rano Local Government Area of Kano State, prompting the State House of Assembly to demand urgent intervention from Governor Abba Yusuf.
The concern was raised during Monday’s plenary through a motion of urgent public importance moved by the member representing Rano Constituency, Ibrahim Muhammad.
Muhammad said the outbreak was particularly severe in Ridin and Sabuwar Kaura communities, despite initial efforts to contain the disease.
“Although emergency measures had been taken, including the purchase of medication and deployment of health workers to the affected communities, further intervention is needed to contain the outbreak”, he said.
He urged the governor and Commissioner for Health to provide additional emergency support, noting that the disease had resurfaced after a similar outbreak claimed several lives in the area last year.
“We want to inform the Governor and the Commissioner for Health to send further emergency aid to the region because the disease has spread heavily in that area”, he said.
Supporting the motion, the member representing Kiru Constituency, Usman Abubakar Tasiu, said the outbreak had extended to Kwarin Dangora, Dangora town and Yelwa.
He disclosed that an APC youth leader in Kiru lost two children to the disease within one day and called for an emergency committee to coordinate the response across affected local government areas.
The Majority Leader, Lawan Husseini, also called for the activation of the state’s Health Protection Law to contain the outbreak.
The Assembly subsequently approved the motion and directed its Health Committee to engage the Ministry of Health on emergency relief and implementation of the law.
