Headlines
New study offers hope for reducing maternal, child mortality in Kano – Prof Galadanci
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
A groundbreaking research study conducted by Professor Hadiza Galadanci and her team at the Kano State Surveillance for Evidence and Policy has shed new light on the critical factors contributing to maternal and child mortality in Kano State.
KANO FOCUS reports that Professor Galadanci was speaking at a technical meeting on the outcome of the Kano State Surveillance for Evidence and Policy (KASSEP) project which took place on Monday 13th January, 2025 at ACEPHAP Conference room.
Professor Galadanci called for the immediate implementation of these research-driven solutions to break the cycle of maternal and child mortality in the state.
According to her, Kano State like most other regions in the country faced several healthcare challenges which included high maternal and child mortality and difficulties in accessing healthcare, particularly in rural areas.
Giving an overview of the KASSEP project, Professor Galadanci further stated that the top causes of the maternal and child mortality deaths are the social and cultural factors that interplay with the systemic challenges that Kano State faced, which are also not well characterized, and as such design of interventions to reduce maternal deaths and stillbirths was hampered.
The ACEPHAP Director disclosed that it was these challenges that the KASSEP study sought to address with a view to proffering solutions to the rising cases of maternal and child mortality in Kano State.
On the method used for the success of the project, Professor Galadanci stated that the study employed a mixed methods approach to establish a sample registration system (SRS) that would be named Kano State Surveillance for Evidence and Policy (KASSEP) in the LGAs of Kano state.
She said a representative sample of clusters was drawn randomly to ensure representativeness across senatorial districts, urban and rural settings.
She explained that establishing the Sample Registration System would enable the study to engage in both a retrospective study (maternal deaths and stillbirths that occurred within the last 12 months before the study state date) and prospective study (maternal deaths and stillbirths that occurred with two years after the study start date). She added that the 2022 World Health Organization’s Verbal Autopsy Instrument was adapted for the study for both the retrospective and prospective components of this study.
Professor Galadanci added that the objectives of the study were to understand the causes and the contextual factors associated with maternal deaths and stillbirths to provide Kano State with insights on program/policy intervention.
She also said it would afford the government of Kano State the opportunity to utilize the findings of this research to speedily implement policy/actions that specifically accelerate the reduction of preventable maternal deaths by intensifying the scale of proven low-cost interventions via its structures and institutions (whether these be publicly or privately-owned). Increased quality of care of the mother and baby-in-conception dead to accelerate the reduction of preventable stillbirths and understand the factors and drivers of (the lack or underdeployment of) women’s agency in so far as these aggravate adverse maternal outcomes and deaths and use this evidence to shape policy and programs to drive reduction in preventable maternal deaths.
A nursing mother with her baby
It is hoped that the Kano State Government would use the findings to reduce the maternal and child mortality in the state.
In her address, the KASSEP project coordinator, Dr. Fatima Mahmoud explained that the objective of the technical meeting was to discuss the current stage of the Kano State Surveillance for Evidence and Policy (KASSEP) project, highlighting progress, challenges, and future plans. It would also to discuss how the traditional community structure was leveraged in establishing a surveillance and tracking system for Maternal Child Health indicators as well as present KASSEP data management and dashboards and to also examine the relationship between KASSEP’s maternal and stillbirth tracking and maternal and child nutrition, identifying opportunities for integration and improved health outcomes.
Also speaking, the State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Abubakar Labaran Yusuf thanked the KASSEP team under the leadership of Professor Galadanci for a job well done. He assured that the Kano State Government would set up a technical committee to study the findings with a view to ensuring full implementation.
He said to show Kano State Government seriousness and commitment to healthcare delivery, it recently paid its counterpart founding to the tune of 500 million naira to UNICEF.
In his goodwill message, the Chairman of the Governing Council of North West University, and former Deputy Governor of Kano State, Professor Hafiz Abubakar described the KASSEP project as a right step in the right direction, but advised that as a nutritionist, he would support the position of His Highness, the Emir of Kano who insisted that nutrition must be added in the research work.
He said Nutrition remained the backbone of child growth, saying that if the child is not fed properly beginning at the age of two, there would be serious problem in later life, “that is, if the child is lucky to survive the feeding imbalance consequences.”
Others who spoke at the meeting were: Dr. Iman Warshu, who spoke on Leveraging Community Leadership for Sustainable Impact, Malam Abdulrahman Ibrahim who introduced the Data Visualization Platform of the Project, Professor Baba Maiyaki Musa who spoke on utilizing KASSEP platform for Nutritional Surveillance and Improvement and Professor Salisu Maiwada Abubakar who spoke on behalf of the Nutrition Data Team.
Source: BUK Bulletin
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
Imam Nura Garba Mato has urged Muslims to remain conscious of their actions, saying that divine reward and punishment often correspond to the nature of people’s deeds.
KANO FOCUS reports that the imam made the call while delivering a Friday sermon at Jami’u Ansar wal Muhajirun Jumaa Mosque, Cotton Ginnery Layout, Zawaciki, Kano State.
The sermon, titled “Al-Jazā’u Min Jinsil-‘Amal” (Recompense Is According to the Nature of Deeds), focused on the Islamic teaching that people’s actions have consequences and that good deeds attract divine reward.
Imam Mato said Allah had established enduring principles in human life that do not change, urging Muslims to understand these principles and allow them to guide their conduct.
He explained that one of these principles was that recompense corresponds to the nature of one’s actions, stressing the importance of living righteously and fulfilling one’s responsibilities to Allah and fellow human beings.
The imam called on Muslims to observe *taqwa* (consciousness of Allah), remain steadfast in their faith and follow the teachings and traditions of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
He also highlighted the importance of helping people in difficulty, easing the burdens of others and showing compassion to fellow Muslims.
Quoting a prophetic tradition, the imam emphasised that whoever relieves a Muslim of a hardship in this world will receive relief from Allah on the Day of Resurrection.
He further explained that whoever conceals the faults of a fellow Muslim would receive Allah’s concealment of their faults on the Day of Resurrection, while those who make things easier for people in difficulty would receive Allah’s assistance in this world and the Hereafter.
The sermon also underscored the importance of supporting others, noting that a Muslim’s relationship with Allah should be reflected in their treatment of fellow human beings.
Imam Mato urged Muslims to reflect on their deeds and recognise that their conduct carries consequences, encouraging them to embrace good actions, assist those in need and uphold the teachings of Islam in their daily lives.
He stressed that Muslims should make righteousness, compassion and service to others central to their lives in pursuit of Allah’s pleasure and success in the Hereafter.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
The Kano State Government has directed all civil servants who have attained their statutory retirement age or completed the required length of service to immediately vacate their offices and hand over government property in their possession.
KANO FOCUS reports that the directive was contained in Circular issued on Tuesday by the Establishment Directorate, Office of the Head of Civil Service, Kano State.
The circular, signed by the Permanent Secretary, Establishment, Abba A. Danguguwa, on behalf of the Head of Civil Service, was titled: “Unauthorized Continuance in Service After Statutory Retirement by Civil Servants in Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of Government – Call for Immediate Handing Over of Official Documents, Properties.”
The government said it had observed that some civil servants continued to remain in office and operate in official capacities after reaching their statutory retirement period.
According to the circular, such conduct was a “negation to the reputation of the Civil Service of Kano State,” noting that the service had a long-standing tradition of ensuring seamless transition by retiring civil servants.
It described the continued stay in service after retirement as a direct infraction and aberration of relevant provisions of the State Civil Service Rules and other applicable service regulations.
The government stressed that it was legally and administratively untenable for any officer to remain in service or perform official functions beyond the statutory limit.
Consequently, all civil servants who had retired either by age or length of service were directed to immediately exit and hand over all official documents, government property and duties to their immediate subordinates in their respective ministries, departments and agencies.
The circular also directed all Accounting Officers, including Permanent Secretaries and Chief Executives, as well as Directors of Administration and Personnel Management, to ensure strict and immediate compliance with the directive.
It warned that any officer found aiding, abetting or condoning the continued stay of a retired officer in service would face appropriate disciplinary action in accordance with the Civil Service Rules.
The directive takes immediate effect, the circular stated.
Nasiru Yusuf Ibrahim
Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf says his administration has settled approximately N32 billion out of the N48 billion inherited backlog of gratuities and related liabilities owed to retirees in the state.
KANO FOCUS reports that Gov Yusuf disclosed this on Thursday while addressing residents at the 66th Independence Anniversary celebration held at the Sani Abacha Indoor Stadium in Kano.
The governor said the government had also sustained the regular payment of monthly pensions while increasing the minimum monthly pension from N5,000 to N20,000.
He said the welfare of workers and pensioners remained a priority of his administration, citing timely payment of salaries, improved remuneration and measures aimed at strengthening the public service.
According to him, the state has maintained the practice of paying workers’ salaries on or before the 25th of every month while implementing the N71,000 minimum wage for civil servants.
Gov Yusuf also said his administration was sponsoring public servants for professional training, including programmes at the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON), to strengthen their administrative and leadership capacity.
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to building a professional and motivated workforce, while ensuring that the contributions and sacrifices of serving workers and retirees were recognised and treated with dignity.
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