Nearly 720 prospective couples have already gone through medical screening across 24 local government areas, the Kano State Hisbah Board says. That number is part of the 3,000 couples the state plans to marry soon in a state-sponsored mass wedding for the less privileged.
Recently, the Hisbah Board, working with the State Ministry of Health, was told to run mandatory tests for HIV/AIDS, hepatitis B, genotype compatibility, drug use, pregnancy and other sexually transmitted infections — all to help ensure healthy unions.
Deputy Commander-General Mujahideen Aminudddeen confirmed the update in a statement, saying the exercise is ongoing. Couples from metropolitan local government areas will continue screening on Wednesday at the Kano State Agency for the Control of AIDS (KSACA) office along Naibawa.
He said participants must bring copies of their registration forms to the venue. Couples from the remaining local government areas will be told their screening dates in due course.
The mass wedding programme, revived under Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, aims to help widows, divorcees, orphans and other less-privileged residents by covering marriage costs and giving financial and household support.
