Mass wedding: Kano secures special funds for people living with HIV/AIDs – DG

From Mustapha Adamu, Kano

The Director General, Kano State Agency for the Control of AIDS, KSACA, Dr. Usman Bashir said the agency has secured a special fund for people living with HIV/AIDS, who are willing to get married in the state.
The state government had earmarked N800 million for mass wedding of 1,800 couples in the state.
In a statement by Aminu Bello Sani, spokesman of the agency KSACA in Kano on Thursday, the DG disclosed this in an interview with journalists in his office on the preparedness of the agency to conduct the screening exercise for all the intended couples before matrimony,
He said KSACA in collaboration with the Hisbah Board would conduct the screening for the prospective couples as part of preparation for the mas wedding.
Dr Bashir observed that even though HIV/AIDS prevalence is on a downward spiral in the state as it currently stands at 0.6% (NAIIS Survey 2018), Kano has almost 40,000 clients on medication, while efforts are being made to screen the outstanding 80,000 Persons living with the Disease based on the current population projection, who will be enrolled on free medication as soon as they are diagnosed.
The Director General said HIV/AIDS is gradually becoming more common like all other ailments due to procurement of free drugs by the government and other supporting partners.
He added that research has shown, marriage between a client living with HIV, who are on medication usually results in the birth of a healthy baby free from HIV/AIDS using the Prevention of Mother to Child transmission technique ( PMTCT).
“Usman Bashir said recently the government of Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf has released funds to the Agency to procure 3rd Line drugs (Salvage Line) used by people living with HIV/AIDS in the State, which is usually provided by the Federal Government but is currently unavailable nationwide, and this will make sure sustainable provision for the Clients in the State.
“The DG KSACA calls on people to know their HIV/AIDS status, as medication is available and free across the state and the Virus is no longer a deadlier if treated early enough and properly managed.
“He commended Governor Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf for Supporting the process of improving Health services and indices in the state,” the statement concluded.