The Kano State House of Assembly has called for urgent government intervention following reports that more than 50 children have died from diphtheria in Rano Local Government Area.
The issue was raised during Tuesday’s plenary after the member representing Rano Constituency, Ibrahim Muhammad, presented a motion of urgent public importance before Speaker Jibril Ismail Falgore.
Muhammad said communities including Ridin and Sabuwar Qaura had been severely affected, with more than 50 children reportedly dying from the disease.
He said health workers and medicines had already been deployed but appealed for additional support to prevent further spread.
The lawmaker called on Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf and the Commissioner for Health to provide emergency assistance to the affected communities.
He noted that the outbreak had extended beyond Rano.
Supporting the motion, the member representing Kiru Constituency, Usman Abubakar Tasiu, said cases had also been recorded in Kwarin Dangora, Dangora town and Yelwa communities in Kiru Local Government Area.
“An APC youth leader in Kiru lost two children to the disease in one day,” he said.
Tasiu called for an emergency committee to coordinate intervention efforts across Rano, Tudun Wada, Kibiya, Bunkure, Bebeji and Kiru local government areas.
The member representing Dawakin Tofa Constituency, Saleh Ahmad, urged the state government to intensify vaccination and other preventive measures.
He warned that diphtheria was highly contagious and could spread rapidly to neighbouring communities without urgent action.
The Majority Leader, Lawan Husseini, called on the government to activate the state’s Health Protection Law.
He said the legislation empowered the government to provide emergency relief and free healthcare and, where necessary, restrict movement and isolate affected areas during infectious disease outbreaks.
The House subsequently adopted the motion and directed its Committee on Health to liaise with the Ministry of Health to ensure emergency relief was provided and the Health Protection Law implemented in affected communities.
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