The Kano State House of Assembly has called for urgent intervention after lawmakers reported that more than 50 children had died in a diphtheria outbreak in parts of Rano Local Government Area.
The alarm was raised during plenary on Monday, August 24, 2026, by the member representing Rano Constituency, Ibrahim Muhammad, who said Ridin and Sabuwar Qaura were among the worst-hit communities.
Muhammad urged Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf and the Ministry of Health to strengthen ongoing measures with additional medical personnel, medicines and emergency support.
The member representing Kiru Constituency, Usman Abubakar Tasiu, said infections had also been reported in Kwarin Dangora, Dangora and Yelwa, disclosing that two children from one family had reportedly died on the same day.
He called for a coordinated response covering Rano, Kiru, Tudun Wada, Kibiya, Bunkure and Bebeji, with emphasis on surveillance, treatment, vaccination and public awareness.
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Saleh Ahmad, representing Dawakin Tofa Constituency, urged intensified immunisation in vulnerable communities, while Majority Leader Lawan Husseini called for activation of the Kano State Health Protection Law to support emergency measures against the outbreak.
The Assembly adopted the motion and directed its Committee on Health to work with the Ministry of Health on immediate interventions in affected communities.
Kano’s Diphtheria Burden
The latest outbreak comes against the backdrop of a prolonged diphtheria crisis in Kano. Figures from the Kano State Ministry of Health, cited by Médecins Sans Frontières, show that more than 31,900 suspected cases and 1,260 deaths, mostly among children, were recorded between March 2022 and March 22, 2026.
In 2026, MSF and the state Ministry of Health administered more than 835,000 vaccine doses in two vaccination rounds. The second, held from June 20 to 24, reached 486,948 children across 20 wards.
The renewed alarm underscores the need for sustained immunisation, surveillance and prompt treatment to prevent further fatalities and contain the disease.