Hussaini Ibrahim 
KANO, Nigeria – Kano State has recorded a sharp decline in maternal mortality as the government intensifies investments in primary healthcare, Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf said on Friday while commissioning the revitalised Gadon Kaya Primary Healthcare Centre.
The facility was upgraded under the World Bank-supported IMPACT Project, a programme designed to strengthen healthcare delivery, improve immunisation coverage and reduce preventable deaths among women and children.
Representing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at the event, the governor said healthcare reforms and sustained partnerships with development agencies are transforming service delivery across the state.
Director-General of the Kano State Primary Healthcare Management Board, Prof. Salisu Ahmed Ibrahim, revealed that maternal mortality has dropped from 1,025 deaths per 100,000 live births in 2025 to about 570.
“As of 2025, maternal mortality was about 1,025 per 100,000 live births, but today we are talking about around 570. This shows a remarkable reduction,” Ibrahim said.
He added that more than 350 primary healthcare facilities have been revitalised under the current administration, while over 500 facilities have been renovated, constructed or upgraded statewide.
According to him, Kano currently operates 254 facilities under the IMPACT Project, with support from partners including UNICEF, GAVI, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and the LAFIYA programme.
Ibrahim noted that the Gadon Kaya facility is among 156 centres undergoing revitalisation, while another 31 projects are nearing completion.
Project Manager Dr Nura Ganduje described the commissioning as a milestone in expanding healthcare access.
“Today is not just the commissioning of a building; it is the commissioning of hope, access and improved health outcomes for the people of Kano State,” he said.
He explained that the IMPACT Project—Immunisation Plus and Malaria Progress by Accelerating Coverage and Transforming Services—focuses on improving maternal, child and malaria services while strengthening primary healthcare systems.
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Oluwatobi Adu 
Otamere Gladness 