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79 percent of child births in Kano are handled by unskilled midwives–Report
Nasiru Yusuf
Over 79 percent of all child births in Kano state are handled by unqualified midwives and attendants, a report by Nigeria Health Watch has shown.
KANO FOCUS reports that the study titled “Primary Health Care in Nigeria: A Case Study of Kano State”, was conducted in 49 facilities across the 44 local government areas of the state.
Presenting the report on Tuesday, the Director of Programmes at Nigeria Health Watch, Vivianne Ihekweazu said, the percentage of facilities that offer maternal and child health (MNCH) services in the state is very low.
“Results from the PHCs assessed revealed that many seem to lack some component of the basic requirements as outlined by the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) minimum standards for PHCs, however it is evident that significant effort has been made to improve health services in Kano State, as well as increasing funding to the state health budget,” she said.
She also revealed that Kano state is one of the few states allocating over 15% of the state budget to health services.
Mrs Ihekweazu said results of the monitoring revealed that, there is poor power supply, emergency transportation system and good sanitary infrastructure in many of the primary health centres.
According to her, healthcare services are being performed in facilities with insufficient infrastructure.
“There are appears to be a shortage of staff, especially doctors as results show that almost 90% of the PHCs assessed do not have a doctor. Only 17 primary health centres indicated that a pharmacy technician was posted to their facilities. Only 7 facilities indicated that they had an ambulance driver. 35 PHCs said there is no security posted there.
“From the report, it is clear that there are gaps in service delivery in the PHCs assessed and adherence to the minimum standards for primary health care. The resultant effect is poor health seeking behaviour among patients in the state,”Ms Ihekweazu added.
In his address, the Executive Secretary of Kano state primary health care development agency, Tijjani Hussain admitted that the health indicators presented in the report on skilled birth attendants is alarming.
He however, said the 49 facilities monitored could not represent the entire primary health centres in Kano state.
“The report shows that there are visible improvements, and this validates the efforts we have been making, ” he said.
The executive secretary said Kano state government is planning to construct primary health centres in each of the 484 political wards of the state before the expiration of his tenure in 2023.
He said 129 PHCs are participating in Kano state health contributory scheme and more will be upgraded to provide effective healthcare services.
According to him the state is making significant progress based on NDHIS report of 2008, 2013 and 2018.
The 2023 Presidential candidate of the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP), Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has debunked reaching a resolution with any individual on the trending defection rumoured to the ruling party or any other political party.
KANO FOCUS reports that Kwankwaso, who considered the recent statement credited to have suggested a particular position as an imagination of falsehood and fragmentation of political mischief against him.
A statement posted on his official X handle @KwankwasoRM, the ex-Governor insisted he has since refrained from commenting on contemporary political events, and will continue to do so for the time being.
In the said false information that went viral, Kwankwaso was quoted to have revealed a meeting with President Bola Tinubu on multiple occasions, urging him to return to the APC fold.
Responding to a statement purportedly signed by one Ibrahim Rabiu, Sen. Kwankwaso insisted he had never signed or authorised any statement to be issued on his behalf.
“My attention has been drawn to a statement purportedly stating my position on the recurring political realignments. I wish to categorically state that such statements are false, unfounded, and products of political mischief.
“I have refrained from commenting on contemporary political events, and I will continue to do so for the time being.”
” I urge the public to only engage statements that come from my public handles and other official sources”. Kwankwaso RM.”
In a releted development, the author of the purported false statement Ibrahim Rabiu has issued a self counter, denouncing the statement as a work of devil.
“I Ibrahim Rabiu, wish to inform the general public that I was never authorised by Sen. Rabiu Kwankwaso to issue and release a statement on his belhalf”
“I therefore wish to tender a public apology to his person with a promise that such childish act will never be repeated in the future, please find a space in your heart to forgive me, I was misled by fake news and agents of misinformation”
The Emir of Kano, Khalifa Muhammad Sunusi II, commended the Adolescent Girls Initiatives for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) Project for reenrolling over 30,000 adolescent girls and renovating more than 1,300 schools across the state.
KANO FOCUS reports that the Emir made the commendation while reeiving AGILE State Project Implementation Unit (SIPU) who paid him an advocacy visit recently.
Khalifa Muhammadu Sanusi ll
He emphasized the Kano Emirate Council’s commitment to advocating for education and pledged continued support to ensure the enrollment, retention, transition, and completion of girls’ education in Kano.
The Emir also emphasized the importance of collaboration and synergy in implementing policies and programs that foster the development of the state and the nation at large.
AGILE Project Coordinator presenting gift to Emir of Kano
He expressed satisfaction with the AGILE project’s strong monitoring and evaluation framework, particularly in tracking the use of grants and conditional cash transfers.
In his remarks, the Kano State AGILE Coordinator, Malam Mujtapha Aminu said more than 100,000 students are currently enrolled in learning centers across 23 local government areas under the Adolescent Girls’ Initiative for Learning and Empowerment (AGILE) second chance education in Kano.
AGILE PC and Emir of Kano
He said this initiative provides out-of-school adolescent girls an opportunity to complete their secondary education, gain entrepreneurship and life skills.
According to him, the second chance education students undergo literacy, numeracy, and entrepreneurship training across 5,000 learning centers.
Athletes who participated in AGILE WEEK Games
He further explained that after nine months of instruction, the students sit for examinations and are awarded certificates equivalent to the Junior Secondary School Certificate.
“Those who enroll in the advanced literacy program also have the opportunity to sit for national examinations such as NECO and WAEC,” he added.
He said they visited the Emir’andalace to seek blessings and advocate for support to achieve their goals.
AGILE Communications Officer and games officials
The AGILE Project is a World Bank-assisted initiative implemented through Federal and State Ministries of Education, aimed at improving secondary education opportunities for adolescent girls in Nigeria.
The gale of defection from opposition political parties intensifies as two members of the opposition New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Abdullahi Sani Rogo and Kabiru Alhassan Rurum, have defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
KANO FOCUS reports that both lawmakers represent Rano/Bunkure/Kibiya and Karaye/Rogo federal constituency of Kano State.
Both lawmakers announced their defection at plenary presided over by Speaker Abbas Tajudeen.
On hand to witness the defection on the floor of the House was the national chairman of the APC, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, accompanied by some members of the national working committee of the party.
However, the Minority Whip, Isa Ali JC, faulted the defection of the lawmakers on the basis that it was against constitutional provisions.
As of Thursday, no fewer than 30 members of opposition political parties have dumped their parties to join the APC.
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