Determined to strengthen public health in Kano, Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf has commissioned the Kano Centre for Disease Control (KNCDC), at the premises of the Infectious Disease Hospital (IDH) in Kano Municipality.

The Governor was optimistic that the centre, which is part of his administration’s commitment to strengthening public health population, intended to check disease prevention.

Speaking at the commissioning, Governor Yusuf expressed delight to witness the completion of a project whose foundation he personally laid, describing the Centre as a landmark achievement in the administration’s drive to build a resilient and responsive healthcare system.

The Governor said he’s confidence that the facility would significantly improve disease surveillance, prevention, diagnosis, and emergency response, while enhancing the state’s capacity to protect residents from emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases.

He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to sustained investment in the health sector through the provision of modern infrastructure, advanced medical equipment, and skilled healthcare professionals to ensure better health outcomes for the people of Kano State.

Earlier, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Abubakar Labaran Yusuf, described the Centre as a major boost to the state’s public health system, noting that it would play a critical role in the prevention, detection, monitoring, and control of communicable diseases, including tuberculosis, cholera, HIV/AIDS, and other infectious diseases.

He explained that the Centre is equipped with modern facilities, advanced technology, and trained personnel to improve early outbreak detection, coordinate emergency responses, and strengthen collaboration with relevant health institutions and development partners.

Dr. Labaran Yusuf commended Governor Yusuf for his visionary leadership and unwavering commitment to transforming the healthcare sector. He also appreciated development partners whose technical and financial support contributed to the successful completion and equipping of the facility to meet global public health standards.

The Kano Centre for Disease Control is a state-of-the-art public health institution established to strengthen disease surveillance, laboratory diagnosis, emergency preparedness, epidemiological research, and rapid response to disease outbreaks.

The Centre will also serve as the state’s coordinating hub for public health interventions, enhance epidemiological intelligence, and deepen collaboration with national and international partners in preventing and containing infectious diseases across Kano State.

Meanwhile, Gov. Yusuf has officially launched a Sickle Cell Centre to provide comprehensive care and treatment for people living with sickle cell disease in the state.

Governor Yusuf conducted the flagged off symbolic distribution of free maternal and Accident & Emergency commodities, new hospital bed sheets, and 300 customised digital blood pressure monitors at Murtala Muhammed Specialist Hospital.

The governor said the Sickle Cell Centre would offer free diagnosis, counselling, treatment, follow-up care, patient education, health promotion, and specialised management of sickle cell disease under one roof.

He assured patients of his administration’s unwavering commitment to providing adequate medicines and other essential support aimed at improving their health and wellbeing.

Governor Yusuf explained that the decision to procure and distribute 300 customised digital blood pressure monitors to public servants and political appointees followed growing concerns over sudden deaths linked to hypertension, noting that the initiative would encourage regular health checks and promote a healthier workforce.

The governor reaffirmed that the free maternal and Accident & Emergency commodities programme had already saved thousands of lives across the state and pledged to sustain the intervention.

He commended the Commissioner for Health, the management of the Hospital Management Board, healthcare workers, traditional rulers, and development partners for their collective efforts in transforming the state’s healthcare sector.

Speaking at the event, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Abubakar, described Governor Yusuf as a leader committed to improving the health of Kano residents, noting that healthcare facilities had witnessed remarkable upgrades since the administration came into office.

He disclosed that maternal mortality had dropped significantly under the present administration, from over 1,300 recorded cases in 2023 to about 300 in 2026.

The Executive Secretary of the Hospital Management Board, Dr. Mansur Nagoda, said the governor’s intervention would benefit thousands of residents, adding that the Abba Gida-Gida administration had transformed the health sector to an unprecedented level.