The Executive Director of Youth Society for the Prevention of Infectious Diseases and Social Vices, (YOSPIS), Zainab Nasir, has called for the allocation of at least 40% of political appointments to youths and women in Kano State.
She revealed this at a media round table on Monday which consist the coalition of three civil society organizations in Kano State.
The coalition is made up of Accountability Mechanism for Maternal and Child Health in Kano State (AMMKaS), Save a Life Cancer Awareness and Support Network (SALCASUN), and Youth Society for the Prevention of Infectious Diseases and Social Vices (YOSPIS).
The coalition presented recommendations which is to be presented before the incoming government of Abba Kabir Yusuf on health, youth empowerment, environment, education and cancer care.
Salisu Yusuf, Coordinator of AMMKaS, emphasized the need for sustaining human resources for health development programs through training and retraining staffs both within and outside the country.
“The incoming government should scale up its free maternal and child health programme by covering vulnerable groups, particularly pregnant women and children under five in order to reduce morbidity and mortality rate by provision of consumable and equipments.
“The government should strengthen the emergency response committee in terms of its operation, implementation and funding,” He urged.
Mr. Yusuf also called for prioritizing girl child enrollment in schools of hygiene, nursing, and midwifery, as well as improving their working environment and remuneration.
While speaking, Hauwa Kakudi of SALCASUN spoke about the challenges of cancer services and care in Kano State.
She recommended community education, screening, the establishment of a Kano cancer center, health insurance, and the establishment of a non-communicable disease unit.
Kakudi suggested that an office be established for cancer registry within the center to collate all data related to cancers in Kano State.
Furthermore, she recommended that the new cancer center be managed under the public-private partnership (PPP) launching commission of cancer within the length of PPP.
Other recommendations at the media table include the provision of sign language interpreters at hospitals and other public institutions, revival of youth centers, sports institutes, and recreational centers, establishment of bigger institutions on ICT and strong-based incubation centers, implementation and funding, encourage facilities to establish sanitation committees in all secondary and Primary Health Centers facilities among others.
