More than 50 children have reportedly died of diphtheria in portions of Kano State, which has been gripped by a wave of mourning.
The issue took over the proceedings of the Kano State House of Assembly as the members called on the government of Abba Kabir Yusuf to activate emergency steps to halt the tide, Channels TV reported.
Following deliberations, the House overwhelmingly adopted the resolution that directs the Committee on Health to collaborate with the Ministry of Health to ensure that emergency measures are implemented in the impacted areas without delay.
The epidemic has become a subject of urgent public concern, lawmakers said during today’s plenary, warning that the sickness has gone beyond isolated settlements and is now a threat to multiple local government regions of the state.
Alarm was raised by the member of Rano Constituency, Ibrahim Muhammad. He said the worst-hit towns are Ridin and Sabuwar Qaura where dozens of families have been crushed by the loss of their children.
Health officials have begun to react but the intervention was still not enough for the magnitude of the situation, he said.
Muhammad appealed to Governor Abba Yusuf and the Ministry of Health to provide more medical staff, drugs and emergency assistance to avoid further deaths. administration publique
The argument took a more worrying turn when Usman Abubakar Tasiu, member for Kiru Constituency, said that additional illnesses have been discovered in Kwana Dangora, Dangora and Yelwa.
“It was a painful reminder of how severe the outbreak was,” he said, recalling two siblings from the same family who died in one day.
The MPs, concerned about the growing spread, requested the establishment of a coordinated emergency response committee to manage surveillance, treatment, immunisation and public awareness in Rano, Kiru, Tudun Wada, Kibiya, Bunkure and Bebeji.
Saleh Ahmad of Dawakin Tofa Constituency also added his voice to the warning that diphtheria spreads fast without the massive vaccinations, advocating for a robust vaccination campaign in susceptible communities.
Lawan Husseini, the Majority Leader, called on the executive to operationalise the Kano State Health Protection Law, stating its provisions enable the government to provide free emergency health care and other extraordinary steps necessary to limit infectious disease epidemics.
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