Gov.Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of Kano State has assured the determination of his Administration towards attaining Data Quality for the purpose of complying with the global best practice in the detection and treatment of Tuberculosis (TB) and Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD).
This, the Governor said, was part of the government desire to serve the people better in its healthcare delivery system with improved Data Quality involving community leaders and health workers at the grassroot.
Ganduje stated this while recieving the United Nations High Level Mission to Kano on Tuberculosis (TB) and Non Communicable Diseases (NCD) , Mrs Annabelle and Dr Jean-Marie Dangou, from World Health Organisation (WHO), Regional Office for Africa on Thursday in Kano.
Governor Ganduje assured his guests that they are on the same page, concerning concerted effort in dealing with the mentioned diseases, emphasising that “In Kano we understand such and similar problems, that is why we are strengthening our primary health care delivery system.”
“As we are using our traditional institutions across all our 5 Emirates by understanding the very community leaders, from Ward Heads to Village Heads to District Heads up to the Emirs, where they register any new born and children under One year, for the purpose of Immunization, we are using the same method to expedite action against TB and NCD,” governor said.
Under this strategy, records taken by the community leaders are compared with that in the registers of health workers at the primary health care facilities, through this reconciliation effort, Data is authenticated.
“With the inclusion of TB and NCD, quality of Data around these diseases would improve and more hands would be on deck in checking the problem. We believe in multi-sectoral approach in tackling this and similar problems, he said.
He insisted on the multi-sectoral approach right from awareness creation campaign and along all other processes within the scope under discussion, explaining that, “Ministry of Health is there, Ministry of Education because of our schools and Ministry of Information being experts in information dissemination. The inclusion of our traditional institutions is of paramount importance. Being closer to people.”
Earlier, the United Nations Representative Annabelle disclosed that, people die of TB more than Malaria. “TB goes up due to poor public awareness. They are preventable. All we need to do is to act very well against it and NCD.”
She urged for galvanizing multi-sectoral action against the diseases. Adding that “We need synergy to tackle the problem. We commend the enormous effort in the development of the health sector in Kano state. All courtesy Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje. Because of the political will.”
On State Health Trust Fund, she said” With the Kano State Health Trust Fund, your commitment even surpasses the Abuja Declaration. I am using this medium to also commend Her Excellency, the First Lady (Prof. Hafsat Umar Ganduje) for being a Champion of the fight against TB.”
To further strengthen efforts in primary health care delivery she urged the Governor to extend the use of private sector in the awareness creation campaign and funding of the sub-sector for the health of the state and the nation in general.
WHO’s Representative, Dr Dangou after acknowledging Ganduje’s effort in the health sector, said “By virtue of the good work and feats achieved by Dr Ganduje administration, the state is a shining example in the country and other African countries.”
Policy Briefs on TB and NCD were given to the Governor with the intent that, they should also further help in strengthening efforts towards primary health care delivery system.
