Kano probes diphtheria, meningitis scare in community

The Kano State Government, through the Kano State Centre for Disease Control, has conducted case management activities, community sensitisation and sample collection in Gamji Village, Garko Local Government Area of the state.

The intervention followed media reports alleging that several residents had died from suspected cases of diphtheria and cerebrospinal meningitis.

This was disclosed in a statement issued on Sunday by the Director-General of KNCDC, Prof Muhammad Abbas.

“The case management exercise was conducted to verify the claims and assess the health situation in the community, under the leadership of the Director-General of KNCDC, Prof Muhammad Adamu Abbas.

The agency deployed a team of medical and public health experts to Gamji Village for an on-the-spot investigation and case management intervention,” the statement said.

It explained that during the exercise carried out on Saturday, the KNCDC team conducted a comprehensive epidemiological assessment of the community.

“The team was divided into four groups, with each group assigned to conduct house-to-house visits across the village as part of case identification, assessment and management, to ensure that every household was covered,” it stated.

According to the statement, individuals who developed symptoms of illness were identified, clinically assessed and had samples collected for laboratory testing to determine and confirm the cause of the illness.

In addition to sample collection, the team provided free medications to affected residents as part of immediate response measures and offered basic medical guidance to households with suspected cases.

It said the intervention was aimed at reducing health risks, improving patient outcomes and preventing the spread of communicable diseases within the community.

The team also sensitised residents on the importance of seeking medical care at health facilities whenever symptoms of illness occur and urged them to promptly report suspected disease outbreaks to hospitals or local health officers for timely intervention.

The sensitisation exercise was extended to mosques in the community, where residents were educated on disease prevention, early reporting of suspected cases and the need to cooperate with health authorities during public health emergencies.

Prof Abbas reiterated the government’s commitment to protecting the health of residents and assured the public that the KNCDC would continue to monitor the situation closely, pending the outcome of laboratory tests, which would guide further action if necessary.

The statement added that the KNCDC had, on Thursday, carried out a public health awareness campaign and distributed free medication to residents of Durmawa, Tiga, in Bebeji Local Government Area, following reports of suspected diphtheria cases.

Culled from punch