By Gabriel Ameh
Kano, Nigeria, 6 July 2026: The humanitarian medical organisation Médecins sans Frontières (MSF)/Doctors without Borders has concluded its diphtheria emergency intervention in Kano State with a mass vaccination campaign conducted in collaboration with the Kano State Ministry of Health (MoH), marking the end of three years of support during one of Nigeria’s largest recorded diphtheria outbreaks.
Since the start of the response in early 2023, MSF has treated more than 14,707 children in MSF-run and supported treatment centres, including facility-based and home-based care.
Beyond medical care, MSF strengthened referral systems, disease surveillance and data management, conducted community engagement activities, and supporting mass vaccination campaigns against diphtheria. Across two rounds of a vaccination campaign, over 835,000 diphtheria vaccination were administered to children in Kano state. During the second round, conducted from 20 to 24 June 2026, MSF, and the Kano MoH, vaccinated 486,948 children across 20 wards, following a successful first round that reached 348,080 children and concluded on 27 April 2026.
“Kano experienced a critical diphtheria outbreak that placed enormous pressure on families, healthcare workers and health facilities,” said MSF Project Coordinator for Kano Abdoul-Aziz Djibrilla. “Although the number of cases has declined in recent months, mainly due to mass vaccination campaigns, the disease remains a serious health threat to children in Kano, driven by low immunisation coverage, overcrowding, delayed care-seeking, and malnutrition.”
Kano State has been one of the most affected states in Nigeria’s ongoing diphtheria outbreak. According to the Kano state MoH, more than 31,900 suspected cases and over 1,260 deaths, most of them children, were reported between March 2022 and 22 March 2026, highlighting the devastating consequences of the disease. These figures represent a significant proportion of the country’s 65,759 suspected cases and the 2,229 deaths reported by the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) as of 22 March 2026 since May 2022 and the official declaration in 2023.
Diphtheria is a vaccine-preventable acute infectious disease that spreads primarily through respiratory droplets or contact with infected wounds. Symptoms include a sore throat, fever, swollen lymph nodes and a thick grey membrane in the throat that can obstruct breathing. In severe cases, the bacterial toxin can damage the heart, nerves and kidneys, potentially leading to complications such as paralysis. For unvaccinated persons without proper treatment, diphtheria can be fatal in around 30% of cases, with young children at higher risk of dying.
The outbreak has mainly affected children between the ages of 5 and 14 years, many of whom were unvaccinated or partially vaccinated. Persistent gaps in routine immunisation coverage, high population density, overcrowded living conditions, delayed health-seeking behaviour, and limited access to quality healthcare have contributed to the continued transmission of the disease.
At the peak of the outbreak – between late 2025 and early 2026 – health facilities and treatment centres faced immense pressure, with more than 100 children being admitted for diphtheria treatment each day across supported facilities and home-based care programmes. Bed occupancy rates exceeded capacity in some periods, while healthcare workers struggled to meet the growing demand for specialised treatment and referral services.
The recent decline in cases reflects the impact of vaccination efforts implemented, in close collaboration between MSF and the Kano State MoH. However, immunity gaps remain, and thousands of children are still vulnerable to infection.
“Continued commitment from health authorities and partners to sustain high immunisation coverage, strengthen surveillance, and ensure timely access to quality treatment will be critical to preventing future outbreaks and protecting the lives of children in Kano.” said Abdoul-Aziz Djibrilla.
