A Kano father, Ibrahim Yusuf, has recounted how he lost five of his children to suspected diphtheria within eight days, amid growing concerns over the spread of the deadly disease in the state.
Yusuf, a resident of Danbare in Kano metropolis, said the tragedy began when his children developed fever and were taken to a primary healthcare centre before being referred to the Infectious Diseases Hospital (IDH).
He said two of the children died on the same Monday, barely 40 minutes apart, while three others subsequently died within the following days.
“They told us it was diphtheria. They admitted them, but two of them died the same day,” he said.
The deceased were identified as Sadiq, 13; Aisha, seven; Zainab, seven; Umar, six; and Aliyu, one year and six months old.
The father of 11 appealed to the government to urgently contain the outbreak, saying other families in his neighbourhood were also affected.
A staff member of the Kano State Centre for Disease Control (KNCDC), who spoke anonymously, confirmed the five deaths and said fatalities at the health facility were increasing.
The development comes as Kano continues to battle a diphtheria outbreak that began in 2022. The state has previously reported more than 39,000 suspected cases, over 31,000 confirmed infections and more than 1,800 deaths.
The state government had earlier requested nine million vaccine doses from the Federal Government, saying the 500,000 doses supplied were insufficient to meet the demand.
Health experts have identified poor immunisation coverage as a major factor driving the outbreak, with many affected children reportedly never vaccinated.
Diphtheria is a serious, vaccine-preventable bacterial infection that can cause breathing difficulties and damage the heart and nervous system. Health officials have urged parents to vaccinate their children and seek immediate medical attention when symptoms develop.
