BREAKING: KNHA Passes Kano Centre for Disease Control Bill Into Law
By Mustapha Salisu
Kano State House of Assembly under the leadership of its Speaker, Rt. Hon. Jibril Ismail Falgore has passed into law the Kano Centre for Disease Control Bill (Kn-CDC) before the floor of the house today Wednesday 24th April, 2024.
PRIME TIME NEWS reports that the Kano Centre for Disease Control, serving as a pivotal initiative supporting the National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) at the state level, will decentralize its operations, aiming for a more robust coordination of epidemic preparedness at the state and local government levels.
Initiated during the 10th Assembly, the bill garnered support from key partners such as the Foreign Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO Lafiya), Legislative Initiative for Sustainable Development (LISDEL) and others.
The decentralized Bill will streamline the reporting structure, channeling reports to the NCDC, thereby easing the burden on the National Centre.
This initiative is important as it will foster stronger coordination and attracting increased investment in resources, as having a domestic center opens avenues for funding from global partners.
Kano State has championed to become a model for other states, ready to share its framework once the bill supporting the Kano Centre for Disease Control is achieved.
The center has already set the stage for its operations, appointing a coordinator and several directors, with a take-up grant allocated in the recent 2024 budget amounting to N1 billion. Although not a separate budget line, it was included as a program under the Ministry of Health.
The funds will facilitate the implementation of various activities now that the bill has been passed into law. The bill has undergone an initial workshop, focusing on bill and roadmap development, along with the formulation of operational guidelines presented in draft form.
Officially introduced as an Executive bill from the executive council secretariat to the house, the bill has progressed through the 1st, 2nd and 3rd readings, with a comprehensive retreat organized to scrutinize its contents, sections, and technicalities.
