Sokoto State diphtheria outbreak concerns raised over suspected child deaths

Manir Muhammad Dan’iya, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship candidate in Sokoto State, has called for urgent government action following reports of a worsening diphtheria outbreak. Dan’iya expressed concern over circulating reports suggesting that more than 50 children may have died from suspected complications of the disease.

While emphasizing that the death toll must be officially verified by health authorities, Dan’iya noted that residents in communities such as Kwalkwalawa and Rikina have reported suspected deaths. In one instance, a resident reported that a six-year-old child died after local medical facilities were unable to adequately manage the symptoms.

The candidate urged the Sokoto State Ministry of Health and the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) to intensify disease surveillance, contact tracing, and vaccination efforts. He also called for better-equipped isolation facilities, adequate medicine supplies, and improved coordination between hospitals, schools, and local communities to manage the public health emergency.