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Tag: Kabiru Ibrahim Getso

  • ‘335 TB deaths recorded in Kano last year’

    Kano State Commissioner of Health Dr. Kabiru Ibrahim Getso said yesterday that about 335 persons lost their lives as a result of Tuberculosis- related diseases in Kano State last year.

    Briefing reporters as part of activities to mark the 2019 World TB Day, Getso said the deaths could have been prevented, if TB patients gain access to free medical services provided by the state government.

    Getso noted: “Kano State, being the most populous state in Nigeria, is one of the six states currently having the highest burden of Tuberculosis in Nigeria.”

    Dr. Getso added that “since the inception of the present administration under the leadership of Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, the state government has been doing very well in reducing significantly, the burden, socio-economic impact and the transmission of tuberculosis in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)”.

    He said the state government, in collaboration with development partners, has been able to expand Directly Observed Treatments (DOTS) centres from 381 in 2016 to over 770 in 2019.

    Read also: Ondo records 1,606 tuberculosis cases in 2018

    The government has also increased access of diagnostic equipment and services from 86 laboratories in 2016 to 255 in 2019, adding that the government also installed 10 additional Genexpert machines from 2015 to date, bringing it up to 18 Genexpert sites.

    He added that the government has also expanded TB services to prisons, military barracks, police academy and tertiary institutions.

    “The state government with the support of KNCV/Challenge TB Project, who are one of our strongest partners, have supported the establishment of TB services across prisons and military sites in the state.

    “The Wellness on Wheels (WOW) Truck was one of the innovations by KNCV/Challenge TB, which has yielded positive results.

     

  • Kano free of polio in 53 months, says Commissioner of Health

    Kano state Commissioner of Health, Dr. Kabiru Ibrahim Getso on Saturday said Kano state has been free of Wild Polio Virus (WPV) outbreak for 53 months.

    According to him, the state is participating in the January 2019 sub-national Outbreak Response (OBR) campaign owing to outbreak of polio in neighboring Jigawa and Katsina states.

    Dr. Getso who addressed Reporters during a Press Conference said the three-day campaign will kick-start on Sunday January 27.

    He added that, “Kano is at risk of infection from its neighbouring states where many cases of circulating Vaccine-Derived Polio Virus (cVDPV) has been isolated because Kano has long stretch of borders with Jigawa and Katsina states.

    “Kano has high population dynamics occasioned by high volume of commercial activities. Kano has busy markets with possibilities of sales of empty vaccine vials. Also, Kano has highly populated metropolitan Local Government Areas.”

    He further stated that, “I want to emphasize that this campaign will involve administration of mOPV2 vaccine targeting all children aged 0—59 months in the 35 Local Government Areas. It is, therefore, important that parents and care-givers bring out all the eligible children to the vaccination posts earmarked for this campaign in their areas.”

    Read Also: 11,000 corps members for polls in Kano

    Getso said, “it is on record that a lot of resources have been committed into Supplemental Immunization Activities (SIAs) with a view to meeting all eligible children for immunization and it is now 53 months without recording a single case of Wild Polio Virus (WPV) in Kano state.

    “Our commitment and efforts in strengthening Routine Immunization over the last three years are yielding positive results. For two consecutive quarters now, Kano state has consistently emerged as the best improved state in the country in Routine Immunization service delivery.”

  • Ganduje, Emir of Dutse decry dearth of manpower in dental health

    Kano state Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje and the Emir of Dutse, His Highness, Nuhu Muhammad Sanusi on Thursday decried the shortage of manpower in the to take care of oral and maxillofacial diseases, with only 10, 000 dental surgeons taking care of the population of over 190 million Nigerians.

    The two leaders who spoke during the 8th Biennial Scientific Conference and Annual General Meeting of the Nigerian Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons held at Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH), also called for concerted efforts by stakeholders to ensure provision of required infrastructure and manpower to tackle the challenges in the oral and maxillofacial sector.

    The Emir of Dutse who is an Ambassador of Ooral health called on both state and Federal Government to invest more in the oral health sector, so as to save many Nigerians who are suffering from oral diseases, but does not have access to medical care.

    Ganduje who was represented by the state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Kabiru Ibrahim Getso, stated that, “Kano state Government is not unaware of the inadequacy of diagnostic equipment and the scarcity of the required specialists’ manpower and health facilities to adequately take care of the large number of clients afflicted with these diseases.

    Read Also: Ganduje puzzles Kano with legal rigmaroles

    “These challenges resulted in the risk of oral and maxillofacial care to be delivered by under-qualified personnel in poorly equipped facilities with the attendant consequences on quality of care being provided to people with these problems.”

    According to him, “to address these challenges, the state government continue to send all cadres of medical personnel, including Doctors to various specialist trainings in home and abroad to acquire the necessary skills and expertise in all aspect of medical care, including oral and maxillofacial surgery.”

    Ganduje further stated that, “we should also find an efficient to create awareness on the risk factors for developing oral and maxillofacial diseases, what can be done to reduce the risks, how to identify these diseases, and where to go to access services.”

    He lamented that, “oral disease directly affects the quality of life by having serious impact on an individual’s well-being and ability to fulfil desired socio-economic functions. Decayed and painful teeth affect dietary intake and aggravate under-nutrition in children because of the inability to masticate.

    “The consequences of conditions like noma can be life-threatening and often result in lifelong functional impairment, disfigurement and death. Oral   appearances also affect self-esteem and willingness to interact with others.”

  • Kano partners UNICEF to tackle malnutrition

    Kano state government in collaboration with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) spent N350 Million last year, as intervention against malnutrition amongst children under five years, which UNICEF provided the same amount as marching fund.

    Another sum of N338 Million is also injected this year to counter the disturbing scourge of malnutrition in the state, of which UNICEF promises to also provide another marching fund for the same purpose.

    Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje stated this during an official launching of Kano State Comprehensive Modelling Project on Improvement of Diatery Diversity in the State .

    “We have all the kinds of food we need in our society for our consumption. All we need to do to run away from this health problem, is the knowledge of how to use such varieties. Which necessitates for awareness creation among our people,” he charged.

    A statement signed by Chief Press Secretary to the Governor Abba Anwar said Ganduje urged stakeholders to put all hands on the deck to save the situation, emphasizing that, “Government is doing its best to continue liaising with all stakeholders, particularly traditional leaders, development partners and others, so as to checkmate the problem once and for all.”

    The governor acknowledges that, “This problem is with us, it is within us, it is a problem that we can solve and we must solve it. That is why we need to put heads and hands together and fight the painful scourge of malnutrition. All we need is commitment, persistence, public enlightenment and diligence.”

    Dangote Foundation according to the governor promised to provide over N1 Billion as intervention along that area of curbing malnutrition in the state.

    In her remarks the UNICEF Zonal Officer, Katsina, Miss Zohra Nissi, said the choice of Kano for the project was deliberate, looking at the efforts the state is making these years in curbing the disease.

    She added “This is a unique project which we are starting in Kano. As such the choice of Kano is deliberate. We choose Kano also because of the commitment of the state.”

    Nissi revealed that, “We need multi-sectoral approach in dealing with this problem. The sum injected in this project is $750,000. We will provide all the necessary technical support for the project.”

    The project started with Bichi and Sumaila as pilot local governments, which included traditional leaders who come from the areas. It was revealed that they started with the two local governments after sometime all other local governments would be included.

    Read Also

    Dr Kabiru Ibrahim Getso, the state commissioner of health said that, “Malnutrition is a serious health challenge in developing countries. According to recent study stunting is in the increase. Which calls for serious action against it.”

    He listed some efforts being put by the state government in curbing the problem. “That we did a special week programme recently, in which we included malnutrition screening. To tell you how serious we are in dealing with the problem.”

  • Cholera: Kano confirms 28 deaths, 400 cases of Diarrhea

    Kano State Commissioner of Health, Dr. Kabiru Ibrahim Getso on Tuesday, confirmed that the state has recorded 28 deaths in the state between the month of January and July this year as a result of 400 cases of acute watery diarrhea recorded in the state with 50 confirmed cases of cholera across 33 Local Government Areas of the State.

    According to him, the state Government through his ministry has instituted several control measures to combat the out break which is currently experienced in 17 states of the federation, Kano inclusive.

    “ As you might be aware, the country is currently experiencing increased incidence of acute watery diarrhea and an ongoing cholera outbreak in 17 states.

    “ The sum of N32 Million Naira has been provided to tackle the outbreak, Rapid Respond Team has been set up as well as mounting of continues surveillance for all epidemic prone diseases.

    Getso who spoke during a press briefing to mark the flag off of first round of 2018 maternal, newborn and child health week in Kano said that, the control of the out break, depends not only on government but also on other key stakeholders such as the civil society organizations, media, community-based organizations, families and individuals. Assuring that the situation is highly under control.

    The commissioner advised the general public to adopt safety measures such as; drinking safe and clean water by using chlorine to treat the water, avoid open defecation, ensure regular washing of hands with soap on a regular basis as well as ensuring that suspected cases are reported to a nearby health facility among others.

    In the same vein, the state government has set aside N98 million for the provision of essential drugs for MNCH week, in which such services would be provided free of charge for the benefit of the women and children in the state.

    He said that the state government targets 2.7 million under 5 children as well as 500, 000 pregnant women for immunization.

    He further stressed that, as part of the state government’s commitment to ensuring good health delivery system in the state, over 4 billion worth of drugs and medical consumables have been provided by the Ganduje administration, adding that arrangements have been made to employ the services of 150 nurses to address shortage of man power in some of the state hospitals.

  • Kano confirms 28 Deaths, 400 cases of Diarrhea

    Kano State Commissioner of Health, Dr. Kabiru Ibrahim Getso on Tuesday, confirmed that the state has recorded 28 deaths in the state between the month of January and July this year as a result of 400 cases of acute watery diarrhea recorded in the state with 50 confirmed cases of cholera across 33 Local Government Areas of the State.

    According to  him, the state Government through his ministry has instituted several control measures to combat the outbreak which is currently experienced in 17 states of the federation, Kano inclusive.

    “As you might be aware, the country is currently experiencing increased incidence of acute watery diarrhea and an ongoing cholera outbreak in 17 states.

    “The sum of N32 Million Naira has been provided to tackle the outbreak, Rapid Respond Team has been  set up as well as mounting of continues surveillance for all epidemic prone diseases.

    Read Also: Cholera: Nine killed, 20 hospitalised in Kano

    Getso who spoke during a press briefing to mark the flag off of first round of 2018 maternal, newborn and child health week in Kano said that, the control of the out break, depends not only on government but also on other key stakeholders such as the civil society organizations, media, community-based organizations, families and individuals. Assuring that the situation is highly under control.

    The commissioner advised the general public to adopt safety measures such as; drinking safe and clean water by using chlorine to treat the water, avoid open defecation, ensure regular washing of hands with soap on a regular basis as well as ensuring that suspected cases are reported to a nearby health facility among others.

    In the same vein, the state government has set aside N98 million for the provision of essential drugs for MNCH week, in which such services would be provided free of charge for the benefit of the women and children in the state.

    He said that the state government targets 2.7 million under 5 children as well as 500, 000 pregnant women for immunization.

    He further stressed that, as part of the state government’s commitment to ensuring good health delivery system in the state, over 4 billion worth of drugs and medical consumables have been provided by the Ganduje administration, adding that arrangements have been made to employ the services of 150 nurses to address shortage of man power in some of the state hospitals.

  • Cerebro Spinal Meningitis identified as Kano strange killer disease

    Kano state government has identified the dreaded (strange) disease that claimed the lives of eight persons in Dungurawa village of Dawakin Tofa Local Government Area of Kano state as type A category of Cerebro Spinal Meningitis ( CSM ).

    The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Kabiru Ibrahim Getso who made the clarification to Reporters in his office yesterday also confirmed that eight people died as a result of the outbreak of the disease.

    According to him, “the epidemiological unit of the Ministry was notified by the Disease Surveillance and Notification Officer of Dawakin Tofa Local Government Area on the 26th March, 2018 of eight deaths which occurred in Kunnawa settlement of Gargari Ward of the Local Government.

    “A rapid response team was immediately dispatched consisting of epidemiologists, medical doctors, laboratory scientists, environmentalists and other relevant professionals to investigate and confirm the authenticity of the report and establish the cause of the deaths and identify if there are people with similar conditions so as to avert further deaths.”

    Getso said their findings revealed that the deceased persons had high grade fever, vomiting and convulsions, adding that, “the result of the laboratory test on the additional cases showed that they were afflicted by cerebro Spinal Meningitis ( CSM ) Type A.

    In addition, he said six cases were discovered which showed that they were afflicted with CSM Type A, “and they are all now receiving treatment at the hospital.”

    He said the state government has taken adequate measures   to curb the spread of the disease which include strengthening and intensified surveillance at all levels of health care delivery, procurement of vaccines and embark on aggressive mobilization and enlightenment campaign as well as strengthening the laboratory capacity.

    He also said that the state government is now in consultation with the Federal Ministry of Health to secure vaccines adding that the vaccines globally are not readily available as they are very expensive and cannot be stored or kept for too long.

    He, however, advised residents to live in ventilated areas and avoid overcrowding, especially at night and report any cases of such symptoms to relevant authorities.