A reported outbreak of diphtheria has claimed the lives of more than 50 children across several communities in Kano State, prompting lawmakers to demand an immediate emergency response.
According to Channels Television, the crisis dominated proceedings at the Kano State House of Assembly on Tuesday, August 25, 2026, where lawmakers declared the outbreak a matter of urgent public concern.
The House unanimously adopted a resolution directing its Committee on Health to work with the Kano State Ministry of Health to ensure the immediate implementation of emergency interventions in affected communities.
Lawmakers warned that the outbreak had spread beyond isolated settlements and was threatening residents across several local government areas.
Rano Communities Report Heavy Child Deaths
The member representing Rano Constituency, Ibrahim Muhammad, identified Ridin and Sabuwar Qaura as some of the communities hardest hit by the outbreak.
He said dozens of families had been devastated by the deaths of their children and warned that the response by health officials remained inadequate for the scale of the crisis.
Muhammad urged Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf and the Ministry of Health to deploy additional medical personnel, medicines and emergency relief to prevent further fatalities.
Fresh Infections Recorded in Kiru
The member representing Kiru Constituency, Usman Abubakar Tasiu, disclosed that fresh infections had been recorded in Kwana Dangora, Dangora and Yelwa communities.
He told the Assembly that two siblings from the same family died within one day, describing the incident as evidence of the severity of the outbreak.
Lawmakers consequently proposed the creation of a coordinated emergency response committee to oversee disease surveillance, treatment, vaccination and public sensitisation across Rano, Kiru, Tudun Wada, Kibiya, Bunkure and Bebeji local government areas.
Lawmakers Demand Mass Vaccination
The lawmaker representing Dawakin Tofa Constituency, Saleh Ahmad, warned that diphtheria could spread rapidly in communities with inadequate immunisation coverage.
He called for an aggressive vaccination campaign targeting children and other vulnerable residents in the affected areas.
The Majority Leader of the Assembly, Lawan Husseini, also urged the state government to activate the Kano State Health Protection Law.
Husseini said the law empowered the government to provide free emergency healthcare and introduce extraordinary measures required to contain infectious disease outbreaks.
Assembly Orders Emergency Intervention
Following deliberations, the Kano State House of Assembly mandated its Health Committee to collaborate with the Ministry of Health and ensure that emergency measures were implemented without delay.
The proposed intervention is expected to include the deployment of health workers, provision of medicines, vaccination, enhanced surveillance and public awareness campaigns.
The figure of more than 50 deaths was presented by lawmakers during the Assembly proceedings. Channels Television did not quote the Kano State Ministry of Health as independently confirming the total number of fatalities at the time of its report.
Editor’s Note: Channels Television’s introductory summary identifies the Rano Constituency lawmaker as Ibrahim Malami, while the body of the report names him Ibrahim Muhammad.
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