A fresh diphtheria outbreak in Kano State has killed more than 40 people, most of them youngsters.
According to the Daily Trust, several dozen other people have been hospitalized as a result of the ailment.
When the publication visited the Infectious Disease Hospital (IDH) on Wednesday, August 28, 2024, all three wards were full of patients, with many more waiting in line to see a doctor.
An anonymous hospital official, who asked not to be identified owing to media limitations, claimed a high daily mortality toll from the outbreak.
An official said; “For the past two weeks, there have been daily fatalities from this disease, Every day, doctors are seeing a large number of patients. If you visit in the morning or evening, you will find dozens of victims waiting for treatment. The hospital has been continuously busy since the outbreak began,”
The official added that the hospital is overburdened since many local government hospitals lack the requisite infrastructure to handle such situations.
“Most patients are referred here because our facility is the most equipped to handle infectious diseases,” according to the source.
Samira Danzaki, a mother whose daughter is being treated at the hospital, told the publication that she had been there for two days.
When approached, Samira Sulaiman, the State Hospital Management Board’s Public Relations Officer, declined to confirm or deny the story, according to the publication.
She claimed that management is conducting an emergency meeting to address the matter and promised to send a statement.
