The Kano state government has activated over 600 secondary and primary Healthcare facilities across 484 wards for the provision of HIV testing services to curtail the spread of HIV/AIDS in the state.
The state Commissioner of Health, Aminu Tsanyawa stated this while briefing newsmen in Kano as part of activities to commemorate the 2021 world AIDS day.
He said the present administration under the leadership of Abdullahi Ganduje was committed to saving the lives of women and children through the provision of essential health services both at the primary and secondary levels.
Tsanyawa disclosed that over 35,000 people living with HIV/AIDS in the state are currently receiving treatment across 43 comprehensive centres in the state.
The commissioner noted that the most recent survey conducted in the states of the federation revealed that the prevalence rate of the deadly infection has drastically reduced from 2.5 percent to 0.5 percent.
“Our administration has devoted attention and commitment to improve health indices through provision of basic equipments, training and retraining, recruiting and deployment of human resources,” he said.
Tsanyawa explained that the first lady of Kano state, Hafsat Ganduje, would flag off the various activities outlined to commemorate this year’s World AIDS day on 2nd December, 2021.
He said part of the activities include, public lecture, launching of the standardized premarital screening certificate, and empowerment of people living with HIV/AIDS and other vulnerable groups.
The commissioner maintained that the state government had established the Kano state Health Trust Fund, where five per cent of the internally generated revenue, and one per cent of the local government councils statutory allocation is dedicated to the Fund to ensure sustainable health financing.
December 1 was set aside annually by the World Health Organization to show support for people living with HIV and to remember those who have died from AIDS-related illnesses.
