No fewer than 25 persons have been killed by diphtheria infection outbreak in Kano.
The child killer disease which was first noticed in Kano in 2022 is now being treated as an outbreak presently at Murtala Muhammed Specialist Hospital and Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, AKTH, in Kano.
Medical experts said diphtheria infection is a serious infection of the nose and throat that is easily preventable by vaccine.
According to the experts, the signs and symptoms of diphtheria may include: a sore throat , hoarseness, Swollen glands (enlarged lymph nodes) in the neck, difficulty breathing or rapid breathing, nasal discharge, fever and tiredness.
It was gathered that the disease which is contagious was first noticed from Ungogo local government area of Kano.
According to records of Kano State Ministry of Health, on the outbreak, 58 suspected cases of the disease was documented, 6 were on admission and 25 patients have the disease.
A very reliable source informed noted that with the enormity of the outbreak, the National Centre for Disease Control, NCDC last week , immediately deployed personnel to Kano to set up incident command structure to conduct outbreak investigation for diphtheria, offer technical support and to reactivate operation centre for treatment.
’As we speak now, Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) popularly known as Doctors without borders, have established case management centre at Murtala Muhammed Hospital and have being providing essential drugs.
A medical consultant who wants to remain anonymous attributed the outbreak of the disease to failure of routine immunization in Kano.
The expert said there is low coverage of immunization exercise in Kano, which is a major means of preventing the outbreak of the disease, coupled with low awareness of the populace.
’You see if the management of this diseases has been conducted by making the residents aware of the situation, it would have drastically reduce the spread in the community among children,’’ the medical expert said.
‘’Presently there is a case of Lassa Fever, from Dala LGA just last week . The state is not doing enough to sensitize the people so that the spread of the disease can be curtailed.’’
Confirming the development on Thursday, Kano State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Aminu Ibrahim Tsanyawa said the state emergency preparedness committee is even meeting this morning to evaluate the casualty figures, review the data and measures to address the situation.
Tsanyawa said presently, the state rapid response team has been reactivated and index action plan to check the spread of diphtheria is in place.
