The Kano State Government has initiated a diphtheria vaccination campaign targeting five local government areas in an effort to control the spread of the disease. The exercise, conducted in selected wards, aims to immunize residents, particularly those unsure of their immunization status or whose last dose was administered over 10 years ago. According to the Kano State Centre for Disease Control, 13 wards have been selected for the immunization exercise.
The vaccination campaign covers wards in Dala, Fagge, Gwale, Kumbotso, and Ungoggo Local Government Areas. Specifically, the wards included are Gobirawa, Kofar Ruwa, Kwachiri, Rijiyar Lemo, Dorayi, Kabuga, Chiranchi, Naibawa, Fanshekara, Bachirawa, Gayawa, Rijiyar Zaki, and Ungogo. The agency has urged residents to take advantage of the vaccination exercise to protect themselves and their families from the disease.
The Kano State Centre for Disease Control has assured residents that the diphtheria vaccination is safe and effective. In a statement, the agency's Risk Communication and Community Engagement Officer, Rukayya Jafar Suleiman, encouraged residents to obtain information about the disease and immunization from authorized health officials. The statement emphasized that immunization protects against serious illness and urged residents to bring their family members for vaccination.
The vaccination drive follows an appeal by the Kano State Government in August for additional diphtheria vaccines from the Federal Government to support a wider immunization program across the state. The Director-General of the Kano State Centre for Disease Control, Professor Muhammad Adamu Abbas, made the request at a news conference after the state House of Assembly raised concerns over a reported outbreak in Rano and other local government areas.
The Kano State Government had disputed a reported death figure of over 50 children from diphtheria, as claimed by the state House of Assembly. The assembly had expressed concerns over the outbreak, prompting the government to seek additional vaccines to combat the disease. The current vaccination campaign aims to prevent further transmission and protect residents from diphtheria.
Health authorities have appealed to parents and residents to encourage their relatives to participate in the exercise, stressing that broad community involvement is crucial to preventing further transmission. The agency has urged residents, especially those whose immunization status is unknown or who received their last dose more than 10 years ago, to make themselves and their families available for vaccination.
The Kano State Government's effort to combat diphtheria involves collaboration with health officials and community engagement. The vaccination campaign is part of a broader strategy to prevent the spread of the disease and protect residents, particularly children, from its effects. By working together, residents and health authorities aim to prevent further transmission and promote a healthier community.
Key points
- The Kano State Government has launched a diphtheria vaccination campaign targeting 5 local government areas.
- The vaccination exercise covers 13 selected wards across the 5 local government areas.
- The diphtheria vaccination is assured to be safe and effective by health authorities.
