KDHA to enact law on compulsory HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis, Genotype test before marriage

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*stakeholders hail bill at public hearing

Kaduna State House of Assembly Speaker Aminu-Shagali

 
By; JULIANA KATUNG, Kaduna
Kaduna State is working towards making medical examination for HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis, Genotype compulsory before marriage, in its bid to reduce the rate of the spread of these diseases among citizens in the state.
This followed a proposed private bill tagged ‘The Kaduna State free Medical Examination before Marriage Bill, 2016’ before the Kaduna State House of Assembly which had gone through public hearing on Friday before its joint House committee On bills.
The bill which was sponsor by the speaker of the House, Aminu Abdullahi Shagali was described as a very important bill if passed into law that will give solution on issues that cause problems in marriages in which there are a numbers of cases pending in court today, received an overwhelming support from the various stake holders present during the hearing.
In his contribution, a private legal practitioner Suleiman Lere described the bill as a private bill that is rare in both  the national and states Houses of Assemblies who are charged with the responsibility of enacting laws that have  direct impact to the lives of  people.
“There are issues of marriage bordering around health conflicts, where some women are being wrongly accused and sent out of their matrimonial homes and I am currently handling some cases pending in the court right now, if there is law that will prevent these, it is a welcome development,” he noted.
Barrister Lere while thanking the Kaduna State Lawmakers for availing the opportunity for the public to partake in the process of making the law, stressed the need for the probe passage of the bill into law.
Also the president, Nigeria Medical Association (NMA)  Dr. Shehu Abdulraman applauded the initiative of the bill, saying that, Kaduna State is one of the first states to come up with this bill in the country.
He therefore suggested that in the situation where  one of them is  positive they should make themselves available for the existing treatment.
In his contribution, the executive Director, AID Mr Emmanuel Bonet said the laws is there to protect the citizens and the awareness of these is limited among the people hence need for more awareness, and suggested that the law should not only stop at getting the intending  couple  tested but there should also be provision for the government to fund their treatment.

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