Kano Steps Up Efforts to Stop Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV, Hepatitis B, and Syphilis

The Kano State government is serious about stopping mother-to-child transmission of HIV, Hepatitis B, and Syphilis. They plan to do this by improving antenatal care services, early diagnosis, and quick treatment.

On Thursday in Kano, the Commissioner for Health, Abubakar Yusuf, spoke at a summit focused on preventing these infections from passing from mothers to their babies. He mentioned that these infections can be mostly prevented. He pointed out that syphilis can be cured if found and treated early.

Yusuf urged all pregnant women and their partners to register early for antenatal care. He said, “We are calling on women and their husbands to ensure that pregnant women attend antenatal clinics early so that any abnormality in the mother or unborn child can be detected and appropriate interventions provided.”

He added that Kano is one of a few states starting to follow the national strategy to eliminate these infections from mothers to their children. Yusuf is hopeful that the summit's decisions will boost the state’s healthcare efforts.

He repeated his call for early registration for antenatal care. This helps health workers find and manage infections and other issues that can occur during pregnancy.

The Director-General of the Kano State Agency for the Control of HIV/AIDS (KSACA), Usman Bashir, said the summit highlighted the state’s work against these diseases. He explained that the initiative fits with both national and global efforts to stop mother-to-child transmission of HIV, Hepatitis B, and Syphilis.

Bashir noted that while there has been good progress in preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV, more focus is needed on Hepatitis B and Syphilis. He stated, “Kano has gone beyond routine testing by providing treatment and vaccines for Hepatitis B, as well as treatment for Syphilis.”

He continued, “Pregnant women diagnosed with Hepatitis B are placed on Tenofovir where necessary, while babies receive the Hepatitis B vaccine at birth to reduce transmission.”

Bashir encouraged other states to take similar actions to help Nigeria eliminate mother-to-child transmission of these infections. He pointed out that the North-West zone has one of the highest rates of Hepatitis B in Nigeria, making ongoing preventive measures very important.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the summit gathered policymakers, development partners, healthcare workers, and others to discuss progress and improve teamwork on the triple elimination program.