Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf has signed the Kano State Premarital Health Screening Bill into law, making premarital health screening mandatory for all prospective couples in the state. The law aims to reduce the likelihood of children being born with underlying health issues such as sickle cell anemia, HIV/AIDS, and hepatitis.
Key Provisions
- The law necessitates mandatory testing for HIV/AIDS, hepatitis, genotype, and other relevant examinations before marriage.
- No wedding will be permitted in Kano without the presentation of a health screening certificate for genotype, hepatitis B and C, HIV/AIDS, and other related illnesses.
- The law prohibits any discrimination or stigmatization against individuals living with HIV/AIDS, sickle cell anemia, hepatitis, and related conditions.
- Any individual found violating the law may face a fine of up to N500,000, imprisonment of up to five years, or both if convicted.
- The law mandates that any individual intending to marry must undergo testing for HIV, Hepatitis B and C, genotype, and any other relevant tests before marriage.
- The law prohibits the formalization of any marriage contract for individuals planning to marry without presenting a test certificate from a government-approved health facility.
The law will come into effect on May 13, 2024. Stakeholders have expressed divergent views on the development. Dr. Abdurrahman Ahmad Tijjani, a Kano-based medical practitioner, welcomed the new law, stating that it is a positive development considering the importance of certain diseases being transmitted from one place to another or from one person to another.
However, a renowned Islamic scholar in the Department of Islamic Studies at Bayero University, Kano, suggested that the law ought to have been introduced gradually until it finally takes effect completely. He also suggested that the government should call a meeting with Islamic scholars and traditional rulers among other stakeholders to advise on the law.
The Chief Imam of Shehu Usman Danfodio Jumat Mosque, Sheikh Isa Abba Umar Madabo, expressed support for the law, stating that it is good that the law is passed for mandatory premarital tests. He also mentioned that the mosque where he leads prayers does not accept to officiate any wedding Fatiha without the presentation of the intending couple test certificates from recommended medical centers.
The father of a bride, Malam Hamza Nata’ala, suggested that medical screening should either be free or highly subsidized, considering the economic situation of the state. A prospective groom, Muhammad Sadisu, shared his experience of having to cancel his wedding due to the results of the medical screening indicating that the couple was incompatible.