About 17,000 children were on Friday reported to have been diagnosed with pneumonia in Kano State, the commissioner for health, Dr Abubakar Labaran Yusuf, has said.
A statement by the spokesman of the state’s Ministry of Health, Nabilusi Abubakar made available to newsmen in Kano yesterday said the commissioner disclosed this during activities to commemorate the World Pneumonia Day and World Diabetes Day in the state.
“More than 17,000 children have been diagnosed with pneumonia in Kano State,” he said.
Yusuf also said more than 300,000 children had been affected by pneumonia across Nigeria this year.
He said the disease is life-threatening, particularly among young children, adding that malnutrition increased the risk and severity of the infection.
The commissioner said the state had trained healthcare workers in specialised approaches to managing childhood illnesses to improve the quality of care provided to children.
On diabetes, Yusuf described the condition as a serious health challenge that requires proper management to prevent complications.
He said more than 500 million people worldwide were living with diabetes, while an estimated 7.5 per cent of Kano residents were also affected.
The event was organised to raise awareness about childhood pneumonia, promote prevention, early detection and appropriate treatment, and strengthen efforts to reduce pneumonia-related deaths among children.
The commissioner added that the state government had intensified efforts to support people living with diabetes through improved healthcare services and the provision of medical equipment.