Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, Governor of Kano State, officially approved the Kano State Premarital Health Screening Law, mandating health screening for all potential couples.
“No wedding will be allowed in Kano without a health screening certificate for genotype, hepatitis B and C, HIV/AIDS, and other related illnesses,” according to the new regulation.
Sunusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, the governor’s spokesperson, stated that the law aims to “reduce the likelihood of children being born with underlying health issues such as sickle cell anemia, HIV/AIDS, and hepatitis.”
“The law mandates testing for HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis, genotype, and other relevant examinations before marriage,” the statement said. It also prohibits discrimination against people with HIV/AIDS, sickle cell anemia, hepatitis, and other related conditions.
Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf mentioned at the signing ceremony that the law’s aim is “to uphold the sanctity of marriages in Kano State and ensure the birth of healthy offspring, free from any preventable illnesses.”
The law was enacted by the state house of assembly and approved by the Kano state governor on May 6, 2024, and will become effective on May 13, 2024.
The law mandates that anyone planning to get married must undergo HIV, Hepatitis B and C, genotype, and any other relevant tests before the wedding.
Furthermore, it is illegal to formalize a marriage contract for couples who do not possess a test certificate from a government-approved health facility.
The law stipulates that anyone who violates it will be committing an offense and could face a fine of up to five hundred thousand Naira, imprisonment for at least five years, or both.
