By Ahmed Abdullahi
The Kano State Centre for Disease Control, KNCDC, yesterday debunked claims that diphtheria killed 50 children in Rano Local Government Area in 2026, saying its surveillance records show only two deaths from the disease this year.
The centre, however, confirmed that Rano is experiencing a diphtheria outbreak, which has claimed 29 lives between July 2023 and August 2026.
Director-General of KNCDC, Prof. Muhammad Adamu Abbas, made the clarification in a statement issued in response to a claim attributed to the member representing Rano Constituency, Ibrahim Muhammad, that 50 children had died from the outbreak.
Abbas said while the outbreak was real, the reported death toll was not supported by the state’s disease surveillance data.
“While the outbreak is real and has claimed lives, the death toll being circulated is not supported by the centre’s surveillance data,” he said.
According to him, KNCDC recorded 32 diphtheria cases in Rano in 2026, with 25 patients treated at the Diphtheria Treatment Centre at Rano General Hospital and seven others managed at the Infectious Disease Hospital in Kano.
He said two deaths had been recorded in Rano this year, while the cumulative death toll from the disease in the LGA stood at 29 since July 2023.
The KNCDC boss disclosed that 94 per cent of affected persons had not been vaccinated, while 91 per cent presented late for treatment.
He warned that delayed detection and treatment could worsen outcomes and urged residents to promptly report suspected cases to health facilities.
Abbas also faulted the alleged 50-death claim, saying unverified figures could undermine public confidence in disease surveillance and ongoing outbreak response.
“Such statements can mislead the public and undermine ongoing disease surveillance and response efforts,” he said.
He said the lawmaker had made similar unverified claims in October 2025, adding that KNCDC had since deployed surveillance teams to the communities mentioned in the latest allegation.
According to Abbas, the teams engaged residents but could not independently verify the reported 50 deaths.
“How can 50 deaths occur without being reported through our existing community and disease surveillance structures?” he queried.
He explained that Kano’s surveillance network receives reports from traditional institutions, Disease Surveillance and Notification Officers, Ward Focal Persons, Community Informants, Community Mobilisers, Surveillance Focal Persons and field volunteers.
“These structures regularly submit information to KNCDC and its partners, enabling the centre to investigate and respond to suspected outbreaks,” he said.
Abbas said the agency also attempted to meet with the lawmaker to obtain details of the alleged victims and their families, which would have enabled further investigations, including verbal autopsies where necessary.
He said those efforts had so far been unsuccessful.
The KNCDC director-general commended the state and Federal Governments for their support for disease surveillance and outbreak response, assuring that the centre would continue to strengthen surveillance and work with communities and other stakeholders to contain disease outbreaks across Kano State.
