The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (NCDC) has pledged to facilitate Kano State’s request for additional diphtheria vaccines as authorities intensify efforts to contain the disease outbreak and strengthen the state’s preparedness for future public health emergencies.
The commitment was made during a meeting between the NCDC Director-General, Dr Jide Idris, and the Kano State Commissioner for Health, Dr Abubakar Labaran Yusuf, as part of Idris’ working visit to the state.
Dr Labaran said the state required more vaccines to expand immunisation against diphtheria across affected communities, describing vaccination as critical to controlling the outbreak.
Responding, Dr Idris said the NCDC would liaise with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) to support Kano’s request.
“We will engage the National Primary Health Care Development Agency to facilitate the state’s request for additional vaccines,” Dr Idris said.
He also pledged to review the NCDC component of the Basic Health Care Provision Fund (BHCPF) to strengthen support for Kano’s public health interventions.
Ebola Preparedness
Beyond the diphtheria response, Idris urged the Kano State Government to provide counterpart funding to improve preparedness for potential Ebola Virus Disease outbreaks.
He noted that Kano remains one of Nigeria’s priority states for Ebola preparedness because of its international airport and strategic location.
“Kano occupies a strategic position in the country’s health security architecture. Strengthening preparedness here is critical to protecting not only the state but the nation as a whole,” he said.
Inspection of Research and Public Health Facilities
As part of the visit, the NCDC delegation inspected laboratory facilities at the Kano Independent Research Centre Trust (KIRCT) in Kwanar Dawaki.
Dr Idris commended the quality of the laboratory infrastructure and the institution’s technical capacity, describing the facility as an important asset for disease surveillance, research and outbreak response in Nigeria.
The delegation later visited the Kano State Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (KNCDC), Nigeria’s first state-owned Centre for Disease Control, where the Director-General, Prof. Muhammad Adamu Abbas, conducted the visitors around the facility, including the state’s first Public Health Laboratory.
Prof. Abbas said the laboratory, once fully operational, would significantly improve the state’s diagnostic capacity.
“The Public Health Laboratory will reduce the turnaround time for diagnostic investigations, including molecular testing, enabling faster detection and response to disease outbreaks and other public health emergencies,” he said.
Health Security
Dr Idris commended Kano State’s investments in public health infrastructure and disease control systems, expressing confidence that the state would continue to strengthen its capacity to prevent, detect and respond to infectious disease threats.
“Strong surveillance systems, functional laboratories and effective immunisation programmes remain the foundation of health security. Kano has made important investments, and these efforts should be sustained,” he said.
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