Kano targets 2.6m children, 650,000 women for free medical services

Kano state government has set to reach out to 2.6 million children below the age of five and 650, 000 pregnant women across its 44 local government areas for free medical services as part of December round of Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (MNCH) week. The state Commissioner of Health, Dr Kabiru Ibrahim Getso, who […]

Kano state government has set to reach out to 2.6 million children below the age of five and 650, 000 pregnant women across its 44 local government areas for free medical services as part of December round of Maternal, Newborn and Child Health (MNCH) week.

The state Commissioner of Health, Dr Kabiru Ibrahim Getso, who stated this at a flagging up of the week-long exercise, said that 39 secondary hospitals and over 1200 primary healthcare centers had been accredited for the exercise.

Dr Getso said the programme, organized by the state ministry of health in collaboration with other development partners including the UNICEF, was aimed at mitigating cases of maternal and child mortality in the state.

The commissioner said the sum of N81m had been earmarked for the procurement of drugs and other logistical issues during the programme.

He said the money was raised through counterpart funding among partner organizations and the state ministries for health and 44 local government areas.

Getso urged parents and guardians to avail their children for the exercise.

Among the services to be rendered free of charge during the week-long event are: provision of Vitamin A supplementation for children between 6 months to 6 years, de-worming of children from 1 to 5 years, immunization of children below the age of 5, ante-natal care services including malaria prophylaxis, HIV/AIDs counseling and testing among others.