The Kano State Centre for Disease Control (KNCDC) has engaged traditional rulers across the state to curb the diphtheria outbreak and other vaccine-preventable diseases.

The mobilisation was due to the recent diphtheria outbreak in some Kano communities and reported cases of casualties.

The Director-General of the centre, Muhammad Adamu-Abbas, made this known during a meeting with traditional leaders (district heads) under the Kano Emirate Council in Kano.

Mr Adamu-Abbas solicited the support of the traditional leaders to take the lead in sensitising their wards to vaccine uptake to curb the spread of diphtheria and other vaccine-preventable diseases.

The KNCDC boss, who highlighted the advantages of vaccines, urged the traditional institution to support efforts aimed at halting the spread of diphtheria through increased vaccine uptake and prompt reporting of suspected cases.

Mr Adamu-aAbbas said many of the diphtheria cases recorded in the state involved children who had not received routine immunisation, sought treatment from chemists or traditional healers, or were brought late to health facilities.

He appealed to the traditional leaders to mobilise communities to embrace vaccination and encourage residents to seek immediate medical attention whenever symptoms of illness were noticed.

Mr Adamu-Abbas also urged them to caution traditional medicine practitioners and barbers against attempting to treat diphtheria cases, stressing that suspected patients should be referred immediately to health facilities.

Responding, the Dan Kadai of Kano, Bashir Dankadai, assured KNCDC of the traditional institution’s commitment to supporting the campaign against diphtheria.

Mr Dankadai said district heads (Hakimai) would engage village heads (Dagatai), who would in turn mobilise ward heads (Masu Unguwanni) to sensitise residents to vaccination and early presentation at health facilities.

He added that traditional healers, particularly barbers (Wanzamai), would be warned against interfering with diphtheria treatment or carrying out any form of traditional surgical intervention on affected persons.

He reaffirmed the readiness of the traditional leaders to work closely with KNCDC to curb the spread of the disease across the state.

The centre earlier demanded the urgent supply of nine million doses of vaccines to curtail the spread of the infectious disease.

The Federal Ministry of Health already deployed 500,000 doses of vaccines and a special task force to coordinate rapid surveillance and response efforts in Kano and Katsina states.
(NAN)