The Kano State Government has stepped up efforts to eliminate the transmission of HIV, hepatitis B and syphilis from mothers to their babies by expanding access to quality antenatal care, early screening and prompt treatment for pregnant women.
SolaceBase reports that the Commissioner for Health, Dr Abubakar Labaran Yusuf, stated this on Thursday during a summit on the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of the three infections held in Kano.
He described the infections as largely preventable, noting that syphilis can be completely cured when detected and treated early.
Yusuf urged expectant mothers to begin antenatal care as soon as they become pregnant, stressing that early hospital visits enable health workers to identify infections and other pregnancy-related complications before they threaten the lives of mothers or their babies.
“We are calling on women and their husbands to ensure that pregnant women attend antenatal clinics early so that any abnormality in the mother or unborn child can be detected and appropriate interventions provided,” he said.
According to the commissioner, the state’s priority is to stop the transmission of HIV, hepatitis B and syphilis from mothers to their children while improving maternal and child health outcomes.
Read Also:Kano flags off distribution of HIV, hepatitis, syphilis test kits, drugs to health facilities
He noted that Kano is among the few states implementing the national triple elimination strategy aimed at ending mother-to-child transmission of the three diseases and expressed confidence that the resolutions reached at the summit would further strengthen the state’s healthcare response.
Also speaking, the Director-General of the Kano State Agency for the Control of HIV/AIDS, Dr. Usman Bashir, said the meeting was convened to highlight the state’s progress in tackling the three infections.
He explained that the initiative aligns with national and global strategies designed to eliminate vertical transmission of HIV, hepatitis B and syphilis.
Bashir said that although Nigeria has recorded considerable success in preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV, greater attention is still needed to address hepatitis B and syphilis.
He disclosed that Kano has expanded its interventions beyond routine screening by providing treatment for hepatitis B and syphilis, as well as vaccination against hepatitis B.
According to him, pregnant women diagnosed with hepatitis B are placed on Tenofovir where necessary, while newborns receive the hepatitis B vaccine immediately after birth to reduce the risk of infection.
Read Also:House of Reps probes $4.6bn global fund, USAID grants for HIV, TB, malaria, others
He added that women diagnosed with syphilis receive prompt treatment to prevent severe complications, including congenital infections and blindness among newborns.
Bashir further revealed that the state has integrated screening and treatment for the three infections into its existing Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission (PMTCT) programme to maximise available resources.
He said routine hepatitis B screening has also been strengthened under Kano’s premarital and maternal healthcare programmes.
The director-general called on other states to adopt similar interventions to speed up Nigeria’s efforts to eliminate mother-to-child transmission of the infections.
He noted that the North-West records one of the country’s highest hepatitis B prevalence rates, making sustained prevention and early intervention essential.
The summit brought together policymakers, development partners, healthcare professionals and other stakeholders to assess progress and strengthen collaboration towards achieving the elimination of mother-to-child transmission of HIV, hepatitis B and syphilis.
