The Kano State government has dismissed reports that diphtheria killed 50 children in Rano local government area of the stte, describing the claim as unverified and misleading.
The claim, attributed to the member representing Rano Constituency in the Kano State House of Assembly, Ibrahim Muhammad, was rejected by the director-general of the Kano State Centre for Disease Control, Prof. Muhammad Adamu Abbas.
Abbas in a statement yesterday acknowledged that there was an ongoing diphtheria outbreak in Rano and that lives had been lost, but said the reported figure of 50 deaths was not supported by the centre’s surveillance data.
He said two deaths had been recorded from diphtheria in Rano in 2026, while 29 deaths were recorded cumulatively between July 2023 and August 2026.
According to him, the centre recorded 32 diphtheria cases in Rano, with 25 patients treated at the Diphtheria Treatment Centre, Rano General Hospital and seven others at the Infectious Disease Hospital, Kano.
The KNCDC boss added that 94 per cent of the affected persons were unvaccinated while 91 per cent presented late for treatment.
He stressed that early detection, prompt reporting and timely treatment were critical to containing the spread of diphtheria.
Abbas also faulted the lawmaker for allegedly making the claim without first consulting the state Ministry of Health or the KNCDC, saying similar unverified claims had been made in October 2025.
He said the centre had deployed a team to communities mentioned by the lawmaker, but the alleged deaths could not be verified after engagements with residents.
Abbas questioned how 50 deaths could occur without reports reaching the state’s disease surveillance structures, including traditional institutions, surveillance officers, ward focal persons, community informants and field volunteers.
He said the KNCDC had also attempted to meet the lawmaker to obtain details that could help officials identify the alleged victims’ families and conduct further investigations, including verbal autopsies where necessary.
He reaffirmed the centre’s commitment to strengthening disease surveillance and rapid response to outbreaks across the state.