By Victor Christopher
A civil society organization, Resource Center for Human & Civic Education CHRICED, has expressed concerns over the Kano state government’s little or no attention giving to effective implementation of the Kano State Maternal and Child Healthcare (FMNCH) Law.
The Kano State House of Assembly, on May 3, 2023, passed the long-awaited Free Maternal and Child Healthcare (FMNCH) Bill into law to halt the high rate of maternal and child mortality in the state.
According to the law, the state will provide free maternal and child-related services. It also provides free care to newborns and infants for a minimum of one year and a maximum of 59 months, amongst others.
CHRICED, with support from MSEREOR/KZE, has, since 2023, conducted various activities to address the scourge of maternal and infant deaths in the state.
But speaking during a community enlightenment workshop tagged Strengthening Maternal and Child Healthcare for Implementation of the FMNCH Law in Gwale and Kumbotso LGA, the Senior Program Officer of CHRICED, Omoniyi Adewoye, said “the present administration is yet to fully embrace the law.”.
Adewoye lamented that despite passing the bill into law over a year ago, the state government has yet to put up the necessary mechanisms to fully activate the law.
According to him, “A section of the law makes provision for setting up an advisory council responsible for the implementation of the law, but the council is yet to be constituted a year later.”
A matron in the state, Rabi Bala Hassan, who presented a paper titled Prioritizing Life, says, “Failure to fully implement the law is leading to avoidable death in the state.”.
Also speaking, the Coordinator of Primary Healthcare in Gwale LGA, Sani Abdu Sani, stressed the importance of the law, saying that “Regular sensitization for expectant mothers on the importance of antenatal care” will remedy the situation.
On her part, CHRICED’s Spokesperson, Furera Isiyaka, urged the state government to, as a matter of urgency, implement the law and allocate resources specifically for initiatives aimed at advancing women.
