The Director General of the Kano State Centre for Disease Control (KNCDC), Professor Muhammad Adamu Abbas, has dispatched a rapid response team to Rurum Ward in Rano Local Government Area following reports of rising diphtheria cases.
The action comes in response to a request by the Kano State House of Assembly for an on-the-spot assessment of the situation.
A state rapid response team (RRT), working alongside Disease Surveillance and Notification Officers (DSNOs) from the local government and catchment areas, initiated a thorough investigation into the outbreak in the affected community.
This development follows an earlier preliminary assessment conducted on 22 October 2025 by the State Epidemiologist and a technical team.
The delegation visited key health facilities, including Rano Emirate Special Hospital, the Diphtheria and Communicable Disease Response Centre, and the Primary Health Care Hospital, to evaluate preparedness levels, surveillance systems, and case management efforts.
Strategic meetings were held with health officials, including Dr. Idris Ibn Garba, Zonal Chief Medical Director, and Muktar Muhammad Sani, Chief Medical Officer of Rano Emirate Special Hospital.
An active case search conducted during the visit revealed no new fatalities beyond the four deaths earlier confirmed by both state and national RRTs.
The team also met with traditional leaders, including the District Head of Rurum, Ado Yusif, and the Ward Head of Tsohon Gari, Malam Amadu Haruna Katanga, to strengthen community engagement.
They visited Makara Huta to condole with Malam Zaharaddin Ado, who previously lost four children to diphtheria, and reassured residents of the government’s continued intervention.
Speaking to journalists, Dr. Abdulwahab Kabir Sulaiman, Director of Disease, Health Emergency Preparedness, and Response (DHEPR), who represented the KNCDC Director General, listed common diphtheria symptoms, including fever, sore throat, difficulty breathing, a swollen neck (also known as a “bull neck”).
Others are a thick gray coating on the throat. He urged residents to seek medical care promptly rather than resorting to traditional treatment.
Dr. Abdulwahab emphasized the importance of routine immunization, good hygiene, reduced overcrowding, and early reporting of suspected cases as key preventive measures.
He commended Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, Health Commissioner Dr. Abubakar Labaran Yusuf, and Professor Abbas for their prompt response and collaboration with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), the World Health Organization (WHO), and other partners in containing the outbreak.
Credit: Muhammad Dayyabu Ali
