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The Kano house of assembly has asked Abba Yusuf, governor of the state, to urgently intervene in a diphtheria outbreak that has reportedly killed over 50 children in Rano LGA.
The parliament passed the resolution during Tuesday’s plenary following the adoption of a motion of urgent public importance sponsored by Ibrahim Muhammad, lawmaker representing the Rano constituency.
Diphtheria is a bacterial infection caused by the corynebacterium species that affects the nose, throat, and sometimes the skin of an individual. Some symptoms of the disease include fever, runny nose, sore throat, cough, red eyes, neck swelling, and difficulty in breathing.
Moving the motion, Muhammad said the outbreak, which is severe in the Ridin and Sabuwar Kaura areas of the LGA, has resulted in the fatalities of more than 50 children.
“Although emergency measures had been taken, including the purchase of medication and deployment of health workers to the affected communities, further intervention is needed to contain the outbreak,” Muhammad said.
The lawmaker asked the state government to provide emergency support to the affected communities, adding that a previous outbreak in 2025 had claimed several lives in the area.
“We want to inform the governor and the commissioner for health to send further emergency aid to the region because the disease has spread heavily in that area,” Muhammed said.
Supporting the motion, Usman Tasiu, the legislator representing the Kiru constituency, said the outbreak had spread beyond Rano to communities in Kiru, including Kwarin Dangora, Dangora town, and Yelwa.
Tasiu said a youth leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kiru town lost two children to the disease within one day.
He called for the establishment of an emergency committee to tackle the outbreak in affected LGAs, including Rano, Tudun Wada, Kibiya, Bunkure, Bebeji and Kiru.
Saleh Ahmad, lawmaker representing Dawakin Tofa, said the government should intensify vaccination and other preventive measures, cautioning that diphtheria is contagious and could spread rapidly to neighbouring communities.
Lawan Husseini, majority leader, urged the state government to activate the state’s health protection law to contain the outbreak, noting that the legislation empowers the government to provide emergency relief and free healthcare, as well as isolate and restrict movement in areas affected by the infectious diseases.
Lawmakers unanimously adopted the motion when Ismail Falgore, the speaker, subjected it to a voice vote.
