With the rate at which Kano state government is fighting HIV/AIDS prevalence, indications are ripe that the dreaded disease may soon become a history in the ancient commercial city as only 35, 000 victims are registered carriers out the over 13 million inhabitants of the state.
The state Commissioner of Health, Dr. Aminu Ibrahim Tsanyawa who briefed journalists in his office as part of activities to mark the 2019 World AIDS Day, said that AIDS patients are currently receiving treatment across the 40 hospitals in the state.
He also hinted that, “it is good to know that the sustained effort of His Excellency, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje in the fight against this disease is yielding result as indicated by the National HIV/AIDS Indicator and Impact Survey (NAIIS), which showed a reduction in the prevalence rate of HIV in Kano state from 2.5 per cent to 0.5 percent.”
According to him, within the past three years, Kano state government has spent over N486 million on the fight against HIV/AIDS.
He stated that, “it is good to know that, the sustained effort of His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Kano state, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, in the fight against this disease is yielding result as indicated by the Nigeria National HIV/AIDS Indicator and Impact Survey (NAIIS), which showed a reduction in the prevalence ratye of HIV in Kano state from 2.5 per cent to 0.5 per cent.”
Tsanyawa explained that the theme for this year’s World AIDS Day: “Communities Makes The Difference,” was specially selected to recognize the essential role that communities play in the AIDS response at international, national and local levels.
He added that communities are the best hope for ending HIV/AIDS endemic, “because they have fought against HIV right from the beginning! With the help of the communities, over one million people are on treatment in Nigeria and more people are being diagnosed and placed on treatment continuously.”
Tsanyawa said the state government through supernumerary residency training programme sponsored Doctors to specialize in different fields, “and today, the state government has consultants in almost all the specialties, including orthopedic surgery.
“Right now, about 70 residents are undergoing residency training in various institutions across the country.
“This administration has also upgraded many Primary Health Centres across the state to the status of Cottage and General hospitals; and within the next four years, at least, one modern and well equipped Primary Health Centre will be provided in each of the 484 political wards of the state to ensure easy access to quality primary healthcare as a step towards achieving universal health coverage in the state.”
He identified lack of manpower as a universal challenge to the health sector, adding that lack of adequate funding also remains a big challenge, “that was why the state government established the Health Trust Fund as a more reliable source of financing the health sector.”
He added that the government also allocated more than 15 per cent of the 2020 budget to the health sector, above the Abuja declaration that recommended 15 per cent.
Activities lined up for the weeklong event ranges from media campaigns, press engagement, road work, and a multi-disease community medical outreach programme, aimed at raising the awareness of the people on the disease, and providing counseling, testing and treatment for AIDS and other diseases.
