17,000 children affected by pneumonia in Kano State
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Punch
More than 17,000 children have been diagnosed with pneumonia in Nigeria’s Kano State, according to Health Commissioner Abubakar Labaran Yusuf. More than 300,000 children are reportedly affected across Nigeria this year, according to Kano’s Ministry of Health.
More than 300,000 children have been affected by pneumonia in Nigeria in 2026, according to Kano State Health Commissioner Dr Abubakar Labaran Yusuf. He stressed that malnutrition increases the risk of contracting the infection and can worsen its severity among young children.
The Kano government has trained health workers in specialised methods for managing childhood illnesses to improve care, the commissioner said during a joint commemoration of World Pneumonia Day and World Diabetes Day. The event aimed in particular to strengthen the prevention, early detection and treatment of childhood pneumonia.
On diabetes, Abubakar Labaran Yusuf said that 7.5% of Kano State’s population was reportedly affected, while more than 500 million people live with the disease worldwide. More than 1,000 health facilities in the state have received medical equipment for screening and diabetes care, according to the commissioner.
