No fewer than 17,000 children have been diagnosed with pneumonia, a potentially life-threatening infection that affects the lungs, in Kano State, with malnutrition increasing their risk of severe complications.
The state Commissioner for Health, Dr Abubakar Labaran Yusuf, disclosed this during a joint event commemorating World Pneumonia Day and World Diabetes Day in Kano.
Yusuf also revealed that more than 300,000 children had been affected by pneumonia across Nigeria this year, raising concerns about the growing burden of the lung disease among children.
He warned that malnourished children were particularly vulnerable, explaining that poor nutrition could increase the likelihood of infection and worsen its effects on the lungs.
The commissioner said the state government had trained healthcare workers in specialised approaches to treating childhood illnesses to improve the quality of medical care.
He added that the awareness campaign was aimed at promoting prevention, early diagnosis and prompt treatment of pneumonia to reduce deaths among children.
On diabetes, Yusuf disclosed that about 7.5 per cent of Kano residents were living with the condition, while more than 500 million people were affected globally.
He said over 1,000 health facilities across the state had received medical equipment to strengthen diabetes screening and management, assuring residents that the government would continue to improve healthcare services and public awareness.
