The Kano State Centre for Disease Control (KNCDC) is working with traditional rulers in Kano State to encourage more people to get vaccinated against diphtheria and other diseases that can be prevented by vaccines. This effort comes after a recent outbreak of diphtheria in the Rano Local Government Area, which has raised concerns due to reported deaths from the disease. The Director-General of KNCDC, Prof. Muhammad Adamu Abbas, met with local leaders to stress how important vaccinations are and to ask for their help in getting more people vaccinated. Many cases of diphtheria have been seen in children who did not receive their routine vaccinations or who sought help from unqualified sources instead of going to health facilities. Prof. Abbas urged traditional leaders to inform their communities about the importance of vaccination and to encourage people to seek medical help quickly if they show symptoms of the disease. He also advised these leaders to warn traditional medicine practitioners and barbers against treating people suspected of having diphtheria, emphasizing that they should be sent to health facilities for proper care. In response, Dr. Bashir Dankadai, a local leader, promised to help with the campaign by having district and village heads spread the word about vaccinations and the need for early medical attention. The KNCDC has requested nine million doses of diphtheria vaccines to help control the outbreak, and the Federal Ministry of Health has sent 500,000 doses along with a special team to manage the situation in Kano and neighboring Katsina State.
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