The District Head of Gagi and advocate for family planning in Sokoto State, Alhaji Sani Umar Jabbi, has called on Sokoto State and other legislative assemblies nationwide to pass a law requiring potential couples to undergo mandatory HIV, sickle cell, and genotype testing before marriage.
The monarch made these remarks in his goodwill message at a one-day media roundtable organized and sponsored by Devcoms/TCI in Sokoto State.
He emphasized that mandatory testing is the only effective preventive measure and can only be achieved with the support of stakeholders and civil society organizations advocating for legislative action.
According to Jabbi, community stakeholders play a crucial role in supporting civil society organizations to establish the legal framework for mandatory pre-marital testing. He emphasized the importance of evidence-based advocacy in driving family planning progress, saying, “Civil societies play a central role in realizing this process, as they are the engine of progress.”
Jabbi further stated that traditional rulers and community leaders would continue their advocacy efforts to encourage the state assembly to enact laws that help reduce the spread of diseases in society. He called for collaboration between religious and traditional leaders to enhance advocacy efforts and facilitate a coordinated approach for effective service delivery.
In her remarks, Dr. Larai Aliyu Tambuwal, Executive Secretary of the Sokoto State Primary Healthcare Development Agency (SSPHCDA), commended Devcoms/TCI for organizing the session. She noted that the roundtable would increase awareness of the benefits of family planning in Sokoto communities. Represented by Dr. Tukur Garba Magaji, a Director in the agency, Dr. Tambuwal highlighted the critical role of media in disseminating information on family planning activities.
Dr. Tambuwal also pointed out that the state government has made significant investments in healthcare, especially in family planning, leading to increased acceptance of such services.
Alhaji Musa Ubandawaki, the State Media Coordinator for Devcoms/TCI, stated that the meeting’s primary goals were to enhance media engagement in support of family planning initiatives and to share preliminary findings from the 2023/2024 National Demographic and Health Survey.
The State Manager for Devcoms/TCI, Dr. Bello Muhammad Kilgori, presented an overview of the survey’s preliminary findings, along with successes, challenges, and future strategies for advancing urban health systems and promoting the use of modern family planning strategies.
