The Kano government has launched a fleet of motorcycles to enhance grassroots screening for tuberculosis to curb the spread of the disease.

The commissioner for health, Abubakar Yusuf, disclosed this during an event to mark World Tuberculosis Day on Tuesday, an annual commemoration on March 24.

He said the initiative is designed to take testing services directly into hard-to-reach communities in the state.

According to Mr Yusuf, Kano currently has about 1,391 TB testing and treatment centres spread across all 44 LGAs.

He explained that the newly introduced motorcycles would help bridge access gaps by reaching remote settlements, particularly those far from established healthcare facilities or where emergency response is limited.

The commissioner said that treatment for tuberculosis, including all prescribed medications, remains completely free of charge for patients throughout the six-month treatment period.

He said that the initiative was in line with the state’s public health policy on TB control.

Mr Yusuf said that the state has continued to record steady progress in reducing the burden of tuberculosis and other communicable diseases that pose significant threats to public health.

The commissioner reaffirmed the government’s commitment to strengthening disease surveillance and expanding access to essential healthcare services across Kano.

(NAN)