The Kano State Ministry of Health has refuted claims of a measles outbreak in Kano Municipal Local Government Area.
In a statement issued by the ministry’s Director of Public Health and Disease Control, Dr. Imam Wada Bello, the reports of a measles outbreak were vehemently debunked.
The denial comes in response to earlier confirmations by authorities at Kano Municipal Local Government Council regarding the outbreak.
The Primary Health Care coordinator for the area, Aliyu Jinjiri Kiru, disclosed the information during a meeting of the emergency preparedness committee at the local government secretariat.
However, Bello clarified the situation, stating that specific procedures and indices must be considered before declaring an outbreak.
These include laboratory investigations, tests, and assessments of the disease’s severity and the number of people affected.
“In the case of Kano Municipal LGA, none of these procedures have been carried out to warrant the declaration of a measles outbreak,” Bello emphasized, urging people to disregard the report due to its lack of empirical and clinical evidence.
Assuring the public of the ministry’s vigilance, the statement highlighted the commitment to taking all necessary measures to contain the effects of diseases.
Bello reiterated that both the ministry and its 44 LGAs’ Emergency Preparedness Response (EPR) are on high alert to respond promptly to outbreaks, working collaboratively with relevant stakeholders.
