LAGOS, Nigeria(VOICE OF NAIJA) – Kano State has entered a new phase in its fight against diabetes after approving a two-year strategic partnership with global pharmaceutical company Sanofi.
The latest move is aimed at improving access to affordable treatment and strengthening frontline healthcare services.
At the signing ceremony held on Friday, the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Abubakar Yusuf, said diabetes has become a pressing public health challenge for Kano and the wider northern region, requiring urgent and coordinated intervention.
In a statement released on Saturday and signed by Sanofi’s Global Affordable Strategy Lead for General Medicines, Dr. Stephane Gokou, Yusuf explained that the collaboration underscores the state government’s commitment to expanding access to essential medicines while building the capacity of healthcare workers across the state.
He noted that the initiative aligns with Kano’s broader ambition to achieve Universal Health Coverage, stressing that the government is focused on ensuring that no resident is excluded from quality healthcare services.
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“The government hopes the collaboration will significantly improve diabetes management and awareness, addressing a growing health challenge in the state,” Yusuf said.
Under the agreement, the Kano State Ministry of Health will receive access to affordable, high-quality analogue insulin for people living with diabetes. The partnership also introduces a digital health solution designed to help physicians, nurses, pharmacists, and community health workers educate, engage, and monitor patients more effectively.
“Sanofi will also introduce a digital health solution to support physicians, nurses, pharmacists, and community health workers in educating, engaging, and monitoring patients. In addition, healthcare professionals across primary and secondary health facilities in the state will benefit from targeted medical training programs aimed at improving diabetes diagnosis and care,” Yusuf added.
From the private sector perspective, Gokou said the agreement reflects Sanofi’s long-standing commitment to improving equitable access to diabetes care, particularly in underserved populations.
He explained that Sanofi currently partners with governments in several low and middle-income countries, including Nigeria, Ghana, and South Africa, through its Access Diabetes initiative. According to him, the program focuses on critical stages of diabetes care such as awareness creation, screening, patient support, healthcare worker training, and the provision of analogue insulin at adapted prices.
The timing of the Kano–Sanofi partnership is significant, given projections that Africa will record the fastest growth in diabetes cases globally. According to figures released by the International Diabetes Federation, the number of people living with diabetes on the continent is expected to rise by 129 percent, from 24 million in 2021 to 55 million by 2045.
In Nigeria alone, about 3.6 million adults are currently affected, while more than 51,000 children and adolescents live with Type 1 diabetes.
The partnership is expected to play a critical role in improving early diagnosis, treatment continuity, and long-term diabetes outcomes for residents of Kano State.
