Health authorities in Niger and Kano states are intensifying efforts to contain the spread of diphtheria following fresh fatalities linked to the disease, with Kano State urgently requesting nine million vaccine doses to strengthen immunisation coverage and prevent further outbreaks.
In Niger State, officials confirmed that at least 11 people recently died from the disease in Chachanga and Katcha Local Government Areas, adding to the growing number of fatalities recorded since the outbreak began. Data from the Niger State Primary Health Care Development Agency showed that between January and early August 2026, the state recorded 124 confirmed cases, with 84 patients successfully treated and discharged. A total of 17 deaths were reported during the period.
The Executive Director of the agency, Dr. Junaidu Inuwa, attributed many of the fatalities to low vaccination uptake among children, blaming vaccine refusal by some parents and guardians.
According to him, inadequate immunisation continues to leave many children vulnerable to preventable diseases despite government efforts to improve access to healthcare services.
“Most parents are not immunising their children, and the community structure needs to do a lot for us,” he stated.
The disease has also spread to other parts of Niger State, including Bida and Agaie local government areas, while surveillance has been heightened in Suleja and surrounding communities to prevent further transmission.
Meanwhile, Kano State has intensified its response following reports of new cases and deaths in communities within Rano Local Government Area. The Kano State Centre for Disease Control (KNCDC) disclosed that it has requested nine million vaccine doses to support a large-scale immunisation campaign across the state.
Director-General of the agency, Prof. Muhammad Abbas, expressed concern over the high number of unvaccinated children, revealing that more than 16,000 children in Rano communities alone had not received routine immunisation.
KNCDC statistics showed that between December 2022 and August 2026, Kano investigated approximately 39,000 suspected diphtheria cases, of which about 32,000 were confirmed, while nearly 1,800 deaths were recorded.
Authorities noted that more than half of the confirmed cases involved children who had not received any vaccination. To curb the spread, the state government has continued reactive vaccination campaigns, strengthened surveillance systems and established a special outbreak response committee to coordinate interventions.
Health officials have urged parents to present children for vaccination and report suspected cases promptly to healthcare facilities.
