The United Nations Children’s Fund UNICEF say 60.8% of recorded cases of diphtheria are children below the age of five.
The UNICEF Chief of Field Office in Kano, Rahama Mohammed Farah, stated this during a media orientation on the diphtheria outbreak in Kano, on Tuesday.
Farah said there has been a recent surge in the number of Diphtheria cases in Nigeria and that the country is currently facing a threatening outbreak.
He explained that the highest number of cases of Diphtheria were recorded in Kano with over 5,800 cumulative cases, constituting 80% of the total recorded in Nigeria.
Rahama said out of the 44 LGAs of Kano State, the Diphtheria disease has spread to 39 LGAs with eight most affected.
“Ungogo (2651), Dala (989), Fagge (943), Gwale (714), Kumbotso (713), Nassarawa (538), Kano Municipal (506) and
Tarauni (269)”
He said children in the state constitute 60.8% of those affected because of the significant number of zero-dose vaccinations.
“The situation of children who have not received a single dose is critical, totally unacceptable and urgently needs to be
addressed”
“This clear evidence reinforces the critical need to address the issue of zero-dose children in Nigeria in general and in Kano state in particular”
”The current Diphtheria outbreak is, however, a threat to child survival, health and the well-being of children.
Rahama said UNICEF is therefore collaborating with the government and partners to respond to the emergency to save the lives of children affected.
