Kaduna Assembly passes disease control centre bill

1. The Kaduna State House of Assembly has passed a bill seeking to establish the Kaduna State Centre for Disease Control and Prevention to strengthen disease surveillance, outbreak response and emergency preparedness across the state.

The bill, titled, “A Bill for a Law to Establish the State Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (KDCDC) and Other Matters Connected Therewith, 2026,” was passed during Tuesday’s plenary presided over by the Speaker, Yusuf Dahiru Liman.

The proposed legislation seeks to provide a legal and institutional framework for the prevention, detection and control of communicable and non-communicable diseases, as well as other public health emergencies in Kaduna State.

Its passage followed the presentation and adoption of a report by the Joint Committee on Health and Judiciary, chaired by Haruna Barnabas, representing Kauru/Chawai Constituency.

Presenting the report, Barnabas said the proposed law would significantly improve the state’s capacity to respond effectively to disease outbreaks and other health emergencies.

He noted that the committee recommended amendments to some sections of the bill, including its title, enactment clause, commencement provisions and interpretation sections.

Following the adoption of the recommendations, lawmakers considered the bill clause by clause before approving it.

The motion for the bill’s passage was moved by Ismail Lawal Mahmud, representing Zaria City Constituency, and seconded by Henry Magaji Danjuma of Kagarko Constituency.

Speaking with journalists after the plenary, Barnabas described the bill as a major milestone in strengthening Kaduna State’s public health system, noting that it had been under consideration since 2020.

He said the proposed centre would ensure rapid and coordinated responses to disease outbreaks, stressing that public health emergencies often occur without warning and require immediate intervention.

According to him, the Kaduna State Centre for Disease Control and Prevention will serve as a central platform for disease surveillance and emergency response, improving coordination across the health sector.

Barnabas also expressed confidence that the state government would support the take-off of the centre, noting that Governor Uba Sani’s administration has continued to prioritise healthcare delivery and funding in the state.