Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, has inaugurated a state-of-the-art Sickle Cell Centre to provide comprehensive healthcare services for people living with sickle cell disease, alongside a new office complex for the Kano State Centre for Disease Control (KNCDC), as part of efforts to strengthen healthcare delivery in the state.
The governor also launched the distribution of 300 customised digital blood pressure monitors to public servants and political appointees and flagged off the symbolic distribution of free maternal and Accident and Emergency commodities, as well as new hospital bed sheets, at the Murtala Muhammed Specialist Hospital in Kano.
Speaking during the inauguration ceremony on Monday, Yusuf said the newly established 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.
“The Sickle Cell Centre will provide comprehensive care for people living with sickle cell disease, including free diagnosis, counselling, treatment, follow-up care and health education.
“We are committed to ensuring that patients receive the medicines and support they need to improve their wellbeing,” the governor said.
Yusuf also commissioned the newly constructed Kano State Centre for Disease Control, describing the facility as a major milestone in strengthening the state’s disease surveillance, prevention and emergency response capacity.
According to him, the centre will improve Kano’s ability to detect, prevent and respond swiftly to outbreaks of epidemic-prone diseases, including HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis and meningitis.
“In the name of Allah, today, Monday, August 3, 2026, I am delighted to commission this centre, and it is my prayer that it will be judiciously utilised for the benefit of the people of Kano State,” he said.
The governor commended development partners for their support in establishing the facility.
Yusuf explained that the distribution of 300 customised digital blood pressure monitors was prompted by increasing concerns over sudden deaths linked to hypertension among public officials.
“We procured these digital blood pressure monitors to encourage regular health checks among public servants and political appointees. Early detection and proper monitoring will help prevent avoidable deaths associated with hypertension,” he stated.
He reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to sustaining the free maternal and Accident and Emergency commodities programme, noting that the initiative had already saved thousands of lives across the state.
The governor also praised the Commissioner for Health, the management of the Kano State Hospital Management Board, healthcare workers, traditional rulers and development partners for their collective contributions toward improving healthcare delivery in the state.
Earlier, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Abubakar Yusuf, said the administration had made significant investments in the health sector since assuming office.
He noted that the newly commissioned disease control centre was conceived, completed and inaugurated under Governor Yusuf’s administration to strengthen disease prevention and emergency response across Kano’s 44 local government areas.
“Our healthcare facilities have witnessed remarkable improvements under this administration.
“Maternal mortality has dropped significantly from over 1,300 recorded cases in 2023 to about 300 in 2026, reflecting the impact of the government’s interventions.
“We appreciate the governor for his continued support in enabling the centre to discharge its mandate of preventing, detecting and responding promptly to epidemic-prone diseases across the 44 local government areas,” the commissioner said.
Also speaking, the Executive Secretary of the Kano State Hospital Management Board, Dr. Mansur Nagoda, described the governor’s intervention as a major boost to healthcare delivery.
“The governor’s support will benefit thousands of residents. The Abba Gida-Gida administration has transformed the health sector to an unprecedented level through sustained investments in healthcare infrastructure, equipment and essential services,” Nagoda said.
The inauguration forms part of the Kano State Government’s broader efforts to strengthen healthcare services through expanded access to specialised treatment, improved disease surveillance, enhanced maternal healthcare and preventive medical interventions aimed at improving health outcomes across the state.