"What Kano Needs Is Mass Vaccination": Health Chief Urgent Call Amid Deadly Outbreak

By Kenneth Sandra

September 4^th 2026

Kano State has been plunged into a major healthcare emergency following a devastating diphtheria outbreak that has infected over 32,000 people and claimed 1,744 lives across all 44 local government areas.

Disclosing the alarming figures during an appearance on Channels Television’s breakfast programme, The Morning Brief, on Tuesday, the Director-General of the Kano State Centre for Disease Control (KNCDC), Dr. Muhammad Abbas, revealed that the disease has established a foothold state-wide.

"From the start of the outbreak till date, we have a total of 39,536 suspected cases, out of which we have confirmed 32,633," Dr. Abbas reported, underscoring the severe reach of the epidemic.

Data from health authorities indicates that roughly 14.5 percent of confirmed patients have developed severe symptoms requiring immediate hospitalization, placing immense pressure on local medical facilities.

To halt the rapid spread, health officials are calling for an aggressive, state-wide immunization campaign combined with active public involvement.

"What Kano needs to do is mass vaccination," Dr. Abbas emphasized. He urged local communities to cooperate with emergency response teams to improve contact tracing and case detection.

Field teams conducting door-to-door searches in rural villages continue to uncover previously unrecorded cases, highlighting the indispensable role of grassroots reporting. Health authorities are urging residents across all communities to report suspected symptoms immediately, stressing that early detection and rapid intervention remain the state's best defense against rising fatalities.