NGA senior health official in Kano State, Nigeria, revealed that over 16,000 children among 32,000 confirmed diphtheria cases since 2022 had never been vaccinated against the disease. Prof Muhammad Abbas, Director-General of the Kano State Centre for Disease Control, described the situation as a public health crisis, emphasizing that many of these unvaccinated children were at higher risk of death. He noted that only around 9,000 confirmed patients were fully vaccinated, while most were either partially vaccinated or lacked vaccination records. Abbas attributed the high number of unvaccinated children to poor immunization rates and called for stronger vaccination campaigns. He also highlighted that Kano previously accounted for over 85% of Nigeria’s diphtheria burden but reported a significant reduction after implementing decentralized treatment strategies. In the Rano Local Government Area, where there was controversy over alleged diphtheria-related deaths, surveillance data showed 32 cases with two fatalities, though most patients had not been vaccinated.
Bias read (Center): The article presents factual information about a public health issue without overtly partisan language. While the subject matter involves government action and public policy, the framing remains neutral, focusing on statistical data and expert statements rather than taking a clear ideological stance
