World AIDS Day: Kano Screens Inmates For HIV, Hepatitis, Donates Drugs

The Kano State Agency for the Control of AIDS (SACA) on Thursday conducted a multi-disease medical outreach for inmates of the Kurmawa Medium Security Custodial Centre as part of activities marking the 2025 World AIDS Day.

The exercise, carried out in collaboration with health stakeholders and development partners, featured screening for HIV, Hepatitis B and C, Syphilis and Tuberculosis, alongside counselling, treatment referral and health education.

The global commemoration is being observed under the theme ‘Overcoming Disruptions: Sustaining Nigerian HIV Response”, while Kano adopted the sub-theme “Kano on the March to Achieving 95-95-95 Goals by 2030’.

Speaking at the outreach, the Director-General of SACA, Dr Usman Bashir, said persons in custodial facilities remained a high-priority population in the country’s HIV response due to overcrowding, limited access to healthcare and high disease burden.

“Today’s multi-disease campaign at the Kurmawa facility underscores the commitment of the Kano State Government under Gov. Abba Yusuf to leaving no one behind.

“By bringing screening and care directly to inmates, we are strengthening prevention, expanding treatment access and sustaining progress towards ending AIDS as a public health threat,” he said.

Bashir added that the initiative aligned with the state’s vision of eliminating barriers to healthcare for vulnerable and underserved groups.

He said the 2025 World AIDS Day activities reaffirm government’s resolve to achieve the UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets by 2030.

According to him, this is by ensuring that 95 per cent of people living with HIV know their status, 95 per cent of those diagnosed receive sustained treatment, and 95 per cent of those on treatment achieve viral suppression.

“With strengthened political will, community engagement and sustained investment, Kano continues to record progress in reducing new infections, eliminating mother-to-child transmission and improving the quality of life for people living with HIV,” he added.

Bashir commended the state government, the Commissioner for Health, Heads of health-related MDAs, other multi-sectoral ministries and SACA’s partners for their support, saying their collaboration was critical to the gains achieved so far.

In his remarks, the Deputy Controller of the National Correctional Service, Kano State Command, Ibrahim Isa, applauded SACA for the gesture, stating that regular health interventions were essential to safeguarding inmates and the wider community.

NAN reports that the outreach also provided TB symptoms screening, syphilis rapid diagnostic testing and counselling services.

SACA further facilitated immediate linkage to care and antiretroviral initiation for newly identified HIV cases, and conducted health education sessions on prevention, treatment adherence and stigma reduction.

The agency donated drugs and medical supplies to the custodial clinic, including antimalarials, anti-helminthics, painkillers, disinfectants, face masks and plumpy nuts.

All funding for the exercise was provided by the Kano State Government.