By Rabiu Sanusi
Kano State Governor, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf has officially inaugurated the first round of the 2024 Maternal, Neonatal, and Child Health Week (MNCHW).
This was continued in a statement issued by the governor’s spokesperson, Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, on Friday.
In his address, Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf emphasized that MNCHW aims to improve health indices through focused preventive and curative interventions that enable mothers and children to thrive and develop.
He highlighted that the week-long event provides an opportunity to deliver essential health services to mothers, newborns, and children via the existing health system, reinforcing the free maternal and child health services available at Primary Health Centers and Secondary hospitals in the state.
Governor Yusuf noted that the Kano State Government remains steadfast in implementing health programs aimed at improving the lives of its citizens.
This includes a strong commitment to Nutrition Promotion Programs, Polio Eradication, and enhancements in Routine Immunization.
He reiterated his administration’s dedication to reducing maternal and child mortality rates and controlling preventable diseases such as Vaccine-Preventable Diseases (VPDs), Malaria, HIV, and Tuberculosis.
Earlier, the Commissioner of Health, Dr Abubakar Labaran Yusuf, stated that the MNCHW aims to provide comprehensive care to pregnant women from conception to delivery and ensure the well-being of newborns and children under five.
Dr Labaran expressed his gratitude for Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf’s commitment to the health sector and assured that health workers in Kano State are resolved to deliver quality services to the population.
The event also featured addresses from the representative of the Emir of Kano, Turakin Kano and District Head of Dala, Alhaji Abdullahi Lamido Sanusi, and representatives of development partners including NPHCDA, UNICEF, WHO, ALIVE & THRIVE, and MSF.
It is worth recalling that Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf has consistently followed through on his campaign promise to provide free maternal, newborn, and child health programs through the allocation and prompt release of funds, significantly reducing the high rates of maternal and child mortality.