The Kano State Government has approved the immediate suspension of all activities under the Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention (SMC) Programme across the state as part of efforts to ensure transparency, accountability and integrity in the implementation of the intervention.
The decision was contained in a statement issued by the Public Relations Officer of the Kano State Ministry of Health, Nabilusi Abubakar.
According to the statement, the suspension follows the constitution of a high-level investigative committee tasked with conducting a comprehensive review of the planning, distribution and implementation of the SMC programme in the state.
The Ministry explained that the suspension takes immediate effect and is intended to facilitate a thorough assessment of programme operations, documentation, personnel records and other implementation processes.
It added that all ongoing field operations, commodity distribution and community engagement activities under the programme have been suspended pending the outcome of the investigation.
The statement further disclosed that the Programme Manager has been suspended with immediate effect, while oversight of the programme has been temporarily assigned to the most senior officer to ensure continuity during the review period.
To ensure credibility and objectivity, the state government constituted a high-powered committee chaired by the Director General of the State AIDS Control Agency (SACA), Dr. Usman Bashir.
Other members include the Director General of the State Primary Healthcare Management Board (SPHCMB), Prof. Salisu Ahmad Ibrahim; the Director General of the Drugs and Medical Consumables Supply Agency (DMCSA), Pharm. Ghali Sule among others.
The Ministry also directed the Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, implementing partners and other stakeholders to report to its headquarters with all relevant programme documents, including approved work plans, distribution records and beneficiary lists for verification.
The Kano State Government reaffirmed its commitment to transparency, accountability and the prudent management of public resources, assuring development partners and residents that the review is intended to strengthen programme implementation and improve the delivery of malaria prevention services across the state.
It also called on all stakeholders to cooperate fully with the investigative committee throughout the review process.