BUK trains 274 population health professionals

Bayero University Kano (BUK), has trained 274 health professionals from across Africa on population health, fostering regional expertise and collaboration.

Prof. Hadiza Galadanci, the institution’s Director of the Africa Centre of Excellence for Population Health and Policy (ACEPHA), said this at BUK 1st international conference on population health on Tuesday in Kano.

The conference had as its theme: “Resilience and Optimisation:Building Sustainable Population Health in Africa.”

The conference brought together experts from around the world to discuss critical health challenges facing the African continent.

Galadanci said ACEPHA had introduced five new postgraduate programmes, including doctorate in Public Health, which he said, had made significant research breakthroughs in areas such as  anemia during pregnancy.

He said that, “No fewer than 274 health professionals from across Africa had at various times undergone training in population health at the centre.”

The Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Sagir Abbas, represented by the Deputy Vice- Chancellor, Academics, Prof. Muhammad Gumel, said the conference was significant in improving the health status of the people.

Abbas said the conference aimed to facilitate international development in the health sector through exchange of ideas and experiences.

Prof. Abdulrahman Sheshe, Chief Medical Director, Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, expressed hope that the conference would refine research modalities to improve public health.

Declaring the conference open Gov. Abba Yusuf of Kano commended BUK and ACEPHA for organising the conference.

Yusuf underscored the importance of addressing population health challenges in Africa.

Represented by his Deputy, Aminu Gwarzo, the governor said the state government would sustain its collaboration with ACEPHA.

He named one area of such collaboration to be the Kano State Surveillance for Evidence and Policy (KASSEP) Project which aimed to institutionalise Sample Registration System (SRS).

“It will enable us to understand the causes and factors associated with maternal deaths and still births to provide us with insights on programmes to inform our policy decisions.

“It is worth mentioning that, in Kano State, we recognise that health is not merely the absence of disease, but a holistic state of well-being encompassing physical, mental, and social dimensions.

“As we continue to pursue sustainable development, it is imperative that we make informed policy decisions based on solid research and data,’’ he said.