By Ozumi Abdul
Kano state government on Wednesday commemorated this year’s World AIDS Day which has its theme as “Putting Ourselves to the Test: Achieving Equity to End HIV.”
The Commissioner of Health, Honourable Aminu Ibrahim Tsanyawa noted that even December 1st is a day set aside every year to raise awareness of the AIDS pandemic caused by the spread of HIV infection.
He said it is usually a week-long activities with public and commune enlightenment programs geared towards education on prevention and control of the HIV/AIDS scourge.
He gave the statistics of those affected by the scourge in the state as over 38,000, adding that 83% of them are currently placed on treatment with the aid of virological suppression across the state’s ministry of health comprehensive sites, with about 84% of pregnant women attending ANC being counseled, tested and have received their results from over 600 PMTCT testing sites in the state.
According to the commissioner, other activities of the Kano state government towards combating the scourge include several media engagement activities across radio, television, print, and social media platforms, as well as a solidarity walk in collaboration with the Kannywood Foundation, and a stakeholder’s engagement to mark the ten years anniversary of the state’s agency for the control of AIDS.
Tsanyawa said despite the challenges of dwindling financial resources that Governor Abdullahi Ganduje’s led administration is confronted with, the state has consistently devoted attention and commitment to improving the health indices of Kano state through additional and innovative funding of health care services, provision of numerous infrastructural upgrades of health facilities, provisions of basic and state-of-the-art equipment for the state’s various health facilities to various level of healthcare facilities.
Our administration despite the dwindling financial resources has consistently devoted attention and commitment to improving the health indices of Kano state through additional and innovative funding of health care services, provision of numerous infrastructural upgrades of health facilities, provisions of basic and state-of-the-art equipment for the state’s various health facilities to various level of healthcare facilities”.
He noted that to further strengthen and improve resources for the state’s health system and ensure sustainable health financing is achieved, the state established the Kano State Health Trust Fund (KHETFUND) and has commenced the disbursement of 5% of the state Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) and 1% of the Local Government Council Statutory allocation to the Trust Fund which he said will invariably augment resources for the health sector and further reduce the burden of health care for the poor and vulnerable segment of the society.
“To further strengthen and improve resources for the state’s health system and ensure sustainable health financing is achieved.
“We established KHETFUND and have commenced the disbursement of 5% of the state IGR and 1% of the Local Government Council Statutory allocation to the Trust Fund which will invariably augment resources for the health sector and further reduce the burden of health care for the poor and vulnerable segment of the society,” he said.
He then promised that the state government, particularly his ministry will continue to fight the scourge ruthlessly via orientation, education, and enlightenment.
