Kano State has initiated a focused diphtheria vaccination campaign targeting high-risk areas to curb the disease’s spread, amid persistent outbreaks and calls for increased vaccine supplies.
Kano State has launched a fresh diphtheria vaccination campaign in an effort to slow the spread of the disease, with health workers focusing on five local government areas and 13 wards judged to be at risk. The state’s disease control centre said the exercise is being carried out in Dala, Fagge, Gwale, Kumbotso and Ungoggo, as officials step up prevention efforts in the northern Nigerian state.
According to a statement from the Kano State Centre for Disease Control, the wards selected for the campaign include Gobirawa, Kofar Ruwa, Kwachiri, Rijiyar Lemo, Dorayi, Kabuga, Chiranchi, Naibawa, Fanshekara, Bachirawa, Gayawa, Rijiyar Zaki and Ungogo. The agency urged residents whose vaccination status is unknown, or whose last dose was more than 10 years ago, to come forward for immunisation and to bring family members as well.
Health authorities are casting the drive as part of a broader public health response to a disease that has continued to put pressure on Kano’s health system. Médecins Sans Frontières said in July that it had ended a three-year emergency response in the state after supporting the delivery of more than 835,000 diphtheria vaccines and helping to treat more than 14,707 children. The aid group also said it had worked with local officials on surveillance and community engagement.
The latest campaign follows earlier calls from Kano officials for more vaccine supplies from the federal government after concerns were raised about outbreaks in several areas. In recent weeks, health officials have given different figures for the scale of the crisis, but they have consistently urged residents to rely on authorised health workers for information and to seek vaccination. In its message, the state centre said immunisation was “safe, effective, and protects you from serious illness”, adding: “Bring your family members and get vaccinated today. Together, we can prevent Diphtheria.”
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
