Kano state government has reiterated its commitment to ensure everyone access quality healthcare without decriminalization.
The state commissioner for health Dr Abubakar Labaran Yusuf announced this at a press briefing on the commemoration of 2025 world AIDS Day.
He said the day was set aside by the United Nations globally to commemorate and enlightening the people about the Disease.
“We stand in solidarity with the 40.8 million people worldwide 1.4 million are children with about 630,000 Deaths. 2.1 million Nigerians 160,000 Children with about 51,000 deaths,” he said.
According to the commissioner Kano State have more than 37 thousand HIV AIDS victims.
“We have 37,825 4381 Children who are living with HIV with 551 Deaths all in 2025 so far, and we remember and pray for those who have lost their lives to AIDS,” He added.
Dr. Abubakar Labaran Yusuf pointed out that The theme for World AIDS Day 2025 is “Overcoming Disruptions, Sustaining Nigeria’s HIV Response,’ which emphasizes the importance government at all levels sustaining the HIV response at all levels after the various sequential withdrawal of funding by implementing partners and the need for filling the gaps as is done by Kano State Government providing Budget line and funding for Kano SACA, from the previous budget of about 300million to about 2 billion Naira this year and next with various release amounting to about 500million this years to fill in the gaps the disruptions have caused, under the leadership of Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, the Executive Governor of Kano State, who is committed to ensuring that everyone can access quality healthcare services without discrimination.
The commissioner further said the Kano State Ministry of Health and the Kano State Agency for the Control of AIDS (KSACA), along with HIV/AIDS partners in the state, are observing World AIDS Day 2025 and aligned with the following global objectives:
Champion the Right to Health: Advocate for health equity by addressing inequalities that hinder progress in ending AIDS by 2030 in providing a robust framework and guidelines to sustain the response and Development of Sustainability Roadmap.
Promote Access to Healthcare: Ensure everyone has access to quality healthcare services, including HIV prevention, treatment, and care by enrolling PLHIVs through KSCHMA to provide risk protection with funding from various sources like BHCPF, KHETFUND etc.
Combat Stigma and Discrimination: Address and eliminate stigma and discrimination that undermine the fight against AIDS, with the enactment and implementation of Anti Stigma and Discrimination Law by the State Government.
Support Vulnerable Populations: Prioritize and engage vulnerable and marginalized populations in the HIV response by enrolling all PLHIV OVCs into KSCHMA Scheme also.
Advance HIV Prevention and Treatment: Empower individuals with access to HIV prevention tools and ensure consistent antiretroviral therapy for those living with HIV
Over the past twelve months.
“We have made significant strides in our mission to control and eventually eradicate HIV/AIDS in Kano State. Our efforts have focused on strengthening supply systems, providing infrastructures to work with and improving access to HIV testing and treatment, enhancing staff capacity, and promoting awareness about HIV/AIDS,” The commissioner said.
The commissioner maintained that Kano State Agency for the Control of Aids is provided with 24 hours alternative Power Supply using Solar Energy, operational vehicles are functional with State of the art internet facility and Data tools, Supportive Supervision to all 43 Comprehensive Sites, commencement of Full implementation of Triple elimination of HIV, Hepatitis and syphilis in 6 pilots facilities to pregnant women attending ANC, the first of its kind in the country,Building of a state of the art Paediatric TB/HIV Clinic at MMSH, all funded by the State Budget.
Increased Funding: In the year 2025.
“We have allocated 3-4% of our total state health budget, approximately NGN 2 billion, for HIV initiatives. Additionally, around N385 million has been approved and released for the purchase of Rapid Test Kits (RTKs) for HIV, Hepatitis, syphilis and other ancillary needs of the service provisions and the solar upgrades, the remaining about 120 million were released for the other activities earlier mentioned, which included the activities marking this year’s World AIDs Day, World Hepatitis Day and other activities mentioned above.
Healthcare Enrollment,” He said.
“In line with this year`s World AIDS Day objectives one and four, we have enrolled over 600 Orphan and Vulnerable Children (OVC) and 4200 People Living with HIV (PLHIV) under our state contributory healthcare scheme(KSHCMA) to ensure they have access to healthcare services without out-of-pocket expenses, these were covered by the Kano State Health Trust Fund (KHETFUND) through the Kano State Contributory Healthcare Management Agency and supported by our partner LHSS.
HIV Testing and Treatment: We have maintained the free HIV testing Services (HTS) in our 592 primary healthcare facilities and 43 Comprehensive sites, all our public secondary facilities, and some selected private facilities across the state. So far this year, we have conducted HIV testing for 607,720 people, identifying 2440 positives, and initiating 2388 new HIV-infected persons on ART. Currently, 37,825 people living with HIV are receiving treatment in the state with 551 Death this year.
Mother-to-Child Transmission: we have strengthened our strategies to end mother-to-child transmission by testing 238,495 of pregnant women during their first ANC visit, with only 34 returning HIV positive and properly managed until their delivery without transmitting the disease to their newborn. We have also tested 31,277 Children under 15 years of age and out of which 68 turned out positive and were placed on treatment, amongst which we had 18 cases from Early infant diagnosis from HIV exposed mothers and the state conducted the highest number of EID testing using M PIMA machine in the country,” The commissioner added.