By Uzair Adam Imam
Kano State’s new Mandatory Premarital Law, signed by Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, requires intending couples to undergo medical screening for genotype, hepatitis B and C, HIV/AIDS, and other related conditions before marriage.
The law aims to reduce the likelihood of children being born with underlying health issues and ensure the sanctity of marriages in the state.
Stakeholders, who spoke to Daily Trust on Saturday, have expressed diverse views on the development. While some, like Dr. Abdurrahman Ahmad Tijjani, a medical practitioner, welcome the law as a positive step.
Similarly, the Chief Imam of Shehu Usman Danfodio Jumat Mosque, Sheikh Isa Abba Umar Madabo, supports the law, citing Islam’s emphasis on protecting lives. Some individuals, like Malam Hamza Nata’ala and Alhaji Usman Ya’u Magashi, suggest that the medical screening should be free or subsidized, considering the economic situation.
The law prohibits discrimination against individuals living with HIV/AIDS, sickle cell anemia, hepatitis, and related conditions and imposes a fine of up to N500,000 or a minimum of five years imprisonment for non-compliance.