In a determined push to eliminate sickle cell disease in Kano State, Malam Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, spokesperson for the Kano State governor, has set an ambitious target of no child should be born with sickle cell by 2034.

Announcing this commitment during the foundation laying of the Sadiq Maddibo Memorial Quranic Centre in Dawakin Tofa, Bature outlined the state’s focused approach to tackling the disease.

He revealed his collaboration with the sickle cell community to launch a comprehensive advocacy programme at eliminating sickle cell births across Kano.

“With careful planning and a unified strategy, we can make sickle cell births a thing of the past in Kano State,” Bature said.

Central to this vision is the Kano Pre-Marital Law, which mandates genetic screening for couples, ensuring that marriages between carriers are avoided.

This law, supported by local religious leaders, aims to curb the genetic transmission of sickle cell disease.

Bature, who lost a son to sickle cell complications and has another child currently battling the condition, highlighted the devastating effects of the disease.

“Sickle cell is more dangerous than HIV. It is our collective responsibility as citizens, advocates, and leaders to spread awareness and prevent high-risk marriages,” he said.

Reflecting on his late son, Sadiq’s lifelong struggle with sickle cell, marked by thousands of hospital visits and treatments, Bature stressed the critical role of premarital genetic testing in safeguarding future generations.

“This is a preventable tragedy,” he noted, calling on all residents to comply with the state’s mandatory testing to create a brighter, healthier future for Kano children.