TheNewsGuru

Tag: Kano State

  • World Malaria Day 2021: Kano Govt laments death of 1,079 in 2020

    World Malaria Day 2021: Kano Govt laments death of 1,079 in 2020

    A total of one thousand, and seventy nine (1,079) persons died of malaria complications in Kano state in 2020, State Commissioner of Health, Dr Aminu Ibrahim Tsanyawa disclosed on Sunday in Kano.

    Speaking at a press conference in commemoration of the World Malaria Day Celebration, the commissioner disclosed that in the year under review, the state recorded 3,712,354 outpatient attendance.

    According to him, 2,349,596 fever cases screened for malaria, adding that 1,685,925 diagnosed for uncomplicated malaria, as 1,664,991, representing 98.8% were treated with ACTs.

    Dr Tsanyawa further stated that in the first quarter of 2021, 355,426 individuals were diagnosed as uncomplicated malaria with 352,363, representing 99.1% treated with ACTs, as 155 died.

    To address the challenges, according to the commissioner, despite the unprecedented global health crisis, especially in the face of COVID-19 pandemic, Kano state government, under the leadership of Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has placed high priority on malaria in a bid to save lives of women and children.

    He said the state government, in collaboration with development partners has administered more than 3,000,715 doses of malaria Chemo-prevention drugs (sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine & Amodiaquine- SO+AQ) with a view to preventing malaria deaths in children under age of five years.

    Dr Tsanyawa added that the state government had procured anti-malarial commodities worth over N279 million in the first quarter of 2021, adding that the effort was to eliminate malaria in the state.

    He restarted the commitment of the state government towards eliminating malaria by the year 2035.

    “Gentlemen of the press, I will like to reaffirm the government’s commitment towards improving healthcare system in the state by earmarking 10% of Kano Health Trust Fund( KHETFUND) to fight against malaria and reducing the burden of associated disease as well as other interventions such as the subsidized sale of anti-malarial drugs(ACT) and LLINs by some of our implementating partners through private sector.

    “These have received renewed vigour in line with improving and safeguarding the quality of lives of the good people of Kano state,” he said.

  • Ganduje inaugurates 25 power bikes for traffic control in Kano

    Ganduje inaugurates 25 power bikes for traffic control in Kano

    Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State has inaugurated 25 power bikes procured by the Kano Road Traffic Agency (KAROTA) to control traffic.

    Inaugurating the power bikes on Sunday in Kano, Ganduje said the bikes would be used to ensure that road users comply with traffic regulations.

    He said the bikes would enable KAROTA personnel to move quickly to monitor traffic, trace violators and go around the city to fish out those smuggling illicit and substandard goods into the state.

    The governor urged KAROTA officials to redouble their efforts in controlling traffic and apprehending those who break traffic rules.

    He further urged them to ensure that those suspected to be carrying illegal items were traced and arrested.

    Ganduje commended KAROTA Managing Director, Baffa Dan’agundi, for the initiative.

    Dan’agundi had earlier stated that the agency bought the power bikes with the fund it saved from removing ghost workers from the pay list.

    “Sometimes, we see a lot of things happening on the road, we see criminals carrying items in their vehicles but there are no vehicles to quickly trace them to their destinations.

    “However, with these modern power bikes, we will be able to arrest more criminals,” Dan’agundi assured the governor.

  • BREAKING: Kano Govt slashes salaries by 50%

    BREAKING: Kano Govt slashes salaries by 50%

    The Kano State Government has slashed the salaries of political office holders in the State by 50 per cent for the month of March.

    According to a statement by Malam Muhammad Garba, Commissioner, Information, Kano State, the salary cut was due to dwindling resources.

    Garba, who disclosed this on Tuesday, said the action was due to shortfall in the revenue accruing to the State from the federation account.

    He said the decision affected the Governor, Deputy Governor and all public office holders in the State that included all Commissioners, Special Advisers, Senior Special Assistants and Special Assistants, among others.

    Garba said that at the local government level, the salary slash affected the chairmen, vice-chairmen, elected councilors, supervisory councilors, advisers and secretaries of local governments.

  • BREAKING: Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport resumes international flights

    BREAKING: Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport resumes international flights

    The Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), located in the ancient city of Kano in the Northern part of Nigeria has resumed international flights.

    TheNewsGuru.com (TNG) reports the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) made this known with the arrival of a Ethiopian Airlines international flight.

    MAKIA is one of Nigeria’s oldest international airports. Apart from being a major transit point for the annual Muslim Haji to Mecca, MAKIA is a major connection point for air travellers going from Northern Nigeria to different parts of the world.

    In the 1980s, the airport was named after a prominent Kano-born Nigerian statesman, Mallam Aminu Kano, a nationalist, politician and dogged fighter for the poor masses in the country.

    However, with the outbreak of the dreaded Coronavirus disease (COVID-19), the FG in 2020 shut the international wing of the airport as part of efforts to curtail the spread of the virus.

    TNG reports international flights resumed at Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport with the arrival of a Ethiopian Airlines flight on Tuesday.

  • We need additional billions to be able to pay salaries – Kano Govt

    We need additional billions to be able to pay salaries – Kano Govt

    Kano State Government on Monday said it was unable to implement the consolidated salary in March due to a drop in its federal allocation.

    This is contained in a statement signed by the state Commissioner for Information, Mr Muhammed Garba in Kano.

    “Given the present financial situation, it was difficult to implement the consolidated salary for the month of March.

    “It is, although, a temporary measure,’’ the statement read in part.

    The commissioner explained that the drop in the federal allocation for March made it difficult for the government to implement the new salary package.

    The state government, according to Garba, received N12.4 billion from the federation account, out of which the state collected N6.1 billion.

    The 44 local governments collected N6.3 billion.

    “For the state government to be able to pay the consolidated wages to its workers, it needs additional billions of naira, which is currently not available,’’ Garba stated.

    He pointed out that at a meeting between the government and the labour union in May 2020, there was an understanding that government would pay workers’ salaries based on a percentage of the total disbursement received.

    The commissioner, however, recalled that Kano was the first among few states to agree to the implementation of the minimum wage without any hesitation.

    He noted that given the situation, the organised labour ought to have reasoned with the government because embarking on strike, won’t solve the problem.

    The state government assured workers that they would continue to receive the new package as soon as the situation improved.

  • Fear of kidnappers mar Easter travels in Kano State

    Fear of kidnappers mar Easter travels in Kano State

    Commercial Transport operators in the motor parks within the Audu Bako Secretariat park also known as Dogon Banki area in Kano Municipal Local Government Area, Kano State, have raised complaints of low turnout of passengers for Easter Travels.

    This they said is largely caused by the fear of the high level of kidnappings on the highways in the Northern part of the country.

    After visiting the Kano-line and Dogon Banki motor park on Good Friday, our correspondent, who was told that travellers may increase in number on Easter Sunday, reports that there were only a few passengers boarding to travel on.

    In an exclusive interview, an official of the Ali Kofa said the park expected a huge turnout of passengers compared to last year considering the fact that the Covid-19 travel restrictions are no longer there as it was the case in 2020.

    “We thought that by today (Easter Sunday) passengers would increase but the park is still scanty.

    “Turnout of passengers last year’s Easter was also very low but it was understandable because it was because of the Coronavirus, I don’t know why people are not traveling. I think they are afraid of Kidnappers,” Ali said in Hausa.

    Movements from Kano to other Northern parts of the country used to be massive during festivities due to the large population of the State, which is motivated by the predominant business and commercial potentials Kano is known for.

  • NAFDAC unravels cause of strange disease in Kano State

    NAFDAC unravels cause of strange disease in Kano State

    The National Agency for Food, Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has presented a preliminary result of clinical test it conducted of the substances that caused strange illnesses recently in the state.

    Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, NAFDAC Director General, presented the findings to Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje, on Wednesday in Kano.

    A statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Abba Anwar, said Adeyeye informed the governor that some of the five substances tested were poisonous.

    She also said two of the five substances were not registered and were brought into the country illegally.

    “Some of those substances are poisonous. When one takes them, he or she would find it very difficult to breath normally. That is close to death.”

    Adeyeye said that the Agency was investigating the matter with all seriousness and had placed the operation of two companies on hold.

    “There are six directorates on the issue, engaged in trying to define coherent and scientific explanation to it. The substances have Citric Acid.

    “We also went to two companies that have the registered substances with them, though their substances are registered, but we still put them on hold to avoid certain things, until after our examination,” she added.

    The director general assured that when the final result is out, they would present it to the state government.

    She commended the State Consumer Protection Council for its unrelenting commitment in fighting the marketing of poisonous substances, fake and counterfeit drugs in the state.

    Adeyeye revealed that agency would establish a Coordinated Wholesale Centre for drugs, and is uilding a state office and a well equipped laboratory in Kano.

    In his remarks, Gov. Ganduje assured that the state government would partner with NAFDAC to keep the state and the country safer and healthy.

    “We appreciate your effort in working hand in hand with us in taming this strange illness in the state.

    “For now the source of those substances are known to the authorities: while we arrested many consignments, we are still combing our markets thoroughly,” he said.

    Ganduje said he was happy that the process of examining the substances was hastened by NAFDAC.

    The governor disclosed that state government is building a drug market at the new Dangwauro Modern market, to sanitise the drug procurement system.

    “The drug market there is almost completed. We have put in place at the drug market, offices of NAFDAC, NDLEA, Customs and Excise, among other relevant agencies.

    “We will not relent in our effort to control the drug market in the state,” he said.

    The NAFDAC boss was accompanied by the agency’s Director of Enforcement and Kano State Coordinator, as well as former President of Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria, Ahmed Ibrahim-Yakasai, among others.

    The director general also presented an Award of Excellence to the governor for his commitment to the war against drug abuse in the state.

  • NAFDAC reveals cause of ‘strange disease, deaths’ in Kano State

    NAFDAC reveals cause of ‘strange disease, deaths’ in Kano State

    The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) says the strange disease in Kano State is caused by food poisoning through a flavoured drink.

    The Director-General of the Agency, Mojisola Adeyeye, disclosed this on Wednesday during an interview on a monitored Channels Television programme.

    Adeyeye described the incident as “very serious,” adding that investigations are still in progress.

    “The Kano incident is a case of food poisoning with flavored drinks that has a chemical called Dansami. It is very serious because food poisoning resulted in diarrhoea, vomiting, and hospitalisation.

    “Our zonal director, Pharmacist Gimba, is on top of this and our pharmacovigilance officers are also investigating what actually happened.

    “We’re going to do a lot of testing in the lab to know the nature of this chemical that probably led to the food poisoning,” she said.

    When asked if there is further information on the origin of the flavoured drink, the NAFDAC boss said she does not yet have details on its origin.

    She said although the chances of recurrence are minimal, NAFDAC is yet to find out if it is a drink approved by the agency or an imported drink.

    “But our pharmacovigilance is already there; so once we determine the cause, we’ll know what next to do in terms of arresting the culprit or bringing them to the office to know what is going on,” she said.

    Speaking on chances of recurrence of the incident, Adeyeye said “The chances of recurrence are minimal. But we don’t even know whether the flavored drinks are smuggled. We sometimes find out that manufacturing is not approved by NAFDAC. So, we just have to find out whether this particular flavored drink was approved by NAFDAC.”

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG reports that the state recently suffered an outbreak of a strange infection with three persons feared dead and many others hospitalised.

    The State Ministry of Health confirmed that the affected patients presented symptoms of haematuria which causes bloody urine or dark urine, fever, lethargy, and sometimes jaundice.

  • Three dead as strange disease infects 284 persons in Kano State

    Three dead as strange disease infects 284 persons in Kano State

    Kano State government, on Tuesday, confirmed three persons dead and 284 others infected in the outbreak of a yet-to-be-identified disease in the state.

    The Commissioner for Health, Dr Aminu Ibrahim-Tsanyawa, confirmed the outbreak of the strange disease at a news conference in Kano.

    Ibrahim-Tsanyawa said that the infected persons had been admitted in 25 health facilities across the state.

    He explained that the disease, whose outbreak was recorded on March 10, was suspected to be caused by consumption of contaminated flavour and a brand of expired instant drink products.

    The commissioner said that 284 persons were infected with the disease in 13 local government areas of the state, adding that 101 of them had been discharged, with 183 currently on admission.

    He listed the affected areas as Dala; Gwale, Kano Municaipal, Fage, Ungogo, Kumbotso, Tarauni, Bunkure, Rano, Dawakinjudu, Dawakin Tofa, Gwarzo and Danbatta.

    “The index is a six-year old girl who developed abdominal pain, vomiting, jaundice and urine with blood (hematuria) after drinking water bought from a vendor.

    “The vendor was said to have sourced the water from a borehole at a cemetery in the metropolis.

    “The assumption involves instant drink flavour powder and a variety of salt for industrial use (caustic powder).

    “Water, blood and different instant drink flavour powder samples have been taken for tests to pin down a diagnosis, ranging from food-borne disease, food poisoning, Lassa Fever, Yellow Fever, Dengue Fever, Chemical poisoning to Toxix Hepatitis,” he said.

    Ibrahim-Tsanyawa noted that the ministry was still awaiting the results of samples analyses to establish the cause(s) of the infection and identify the disease.

    He added that the ministry had stepped up sensitisation and engagement with stakeholders to ensure that people became aware of the recent development and know the best way to protect themselves.

    “The ministry is working closely with the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) and the State Consumer Protection Council (KSCPC).

    “We have deployed personnel and scaled up surveillance in the 44 local government areas of the state to check circulation of the suspected products.

    “The state government is providing free treatment to the infected persons, while 13 others had been arrested in connection with the circulation of the suspected product,” he added.

    According to him, the state Task Force on Fake and Counterfeit Products has seized counterfeit and expired products worth over N59 million in the past five days in the state.

  • APC registers 2.5m members in Kano

    APC registers 2.5m members in Kano

    Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State says the All Progressives Congress (APC) has so far registered about 2.5 million members in the ongoing membership registration/revalidation in the state.

    This is contained in a statement by Mr Abba Anwar, Chief Press Secretary to the governor on Monday in Kano.

    Anwar said that the governor disclosed this during the sixth APC stakeholders meeting in Kano.

    “We are all aware that the first set of 100 registers sent to polling units were exhausted. And the second set of 200 per polling units has also been exhausted.

    “The registration is heading towards three or four million members in the state. Just look at the trend since we started,” he said.

    The governor also urged those in charge of the registration to ensure fairness.

    “There should be no marginalisation. Register all those who wish to be registered as bonafide members of our great party and that is part of the wisdom why we have been succeeding as a party,” he said.

    Alhaji Murtala Garo, state’s Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, said the APC national headquarters gave the state 100 bundles of registers for each of the 8, 090 poling units in the state.

    Garo said all the bundles had been exhausted.
    “The state demanded for additional 200 bundles per polling unit.

    “The additional 200 membership cards per polling unit, have already been collected by members in almost 7,000 units. So there is need for more from the national headquartres,” he said.