The Kano State House of Assembly has been urged to allocate funds and ensure full implementation of the Free Maternal and Child Healthcare Law in the 2026 budget. This call was made by the Resource Centre for Human Rights & Civic Education (CHRICED) during a public hearing on the 2026 budget at the Coronation Hall, Government House, Kano.
CHRICED expressed concern that two and a half years after the law was passed and signed in 2023, it remains unimplemented. The organisation noted that despite repeated budget allocations to health, education, and social services, the situation on the ground, especially in rural communities, remains poor. Preventable deaths among mothers and children continue to occur due to inadequate healthcare facilities and services.
According to CHRICED’s recent Service Availability and Readiness Assessment (SARA) conducted across 91 Primary Health Care (PHC) facilities in 11 local government areas, many facilities lack basic infrastructure such as reliable electricity, clean water, and functional delivery rooms. The assessment revealed that some local government areas, like Kibiya and Gwarzo, recorded infrastructure readiness below 24 per cent, leading to low use of health services. Furthermore, about 46 per cent of patients still pay out of pocket at PHCs meant to provide affordable care.
CHRICED also raised concerns over frequent drug shortages, citing the unavailability of essential medicines like Magnesium Sulphate for an average of 15 days in a month. The organisation emphasized that these failures translate into unacceptably high maternal and child mortality risks, with every preventable death having a devastating impact on families and communities.
While acknowledging ongoing initiatives like the Maternal and Neonatal Mortality Reduction Innovation and Initiatives (MAMII) and the Sector-Wide Approach (SWAp), CHRICED stressed that these efforts will not achieve the desired results without full implementation of the Free Maternal and Child Healthcare Law. The organisation urged the Assembly to establish the Free Maternal and Child Health Consultative Council as required by the law and make dedicated budgetary provisions in 2026 to operationalise it.
CHRICED called for stronger legislative oversight to ensure that funds approved in the budget translate into real improvements in health services across the state. The organisation emphasized that the 2026 budget presents an opportunity for the Assembly to choose life, dignity, and accountability for the people of Kano State, and to turn promises into action, laws into lifelines, and allocations into real improvements in the quality of life.
