By Khadijah Aliyu
Kano State Government says it will continue to strengthen community-led healthcare interventions through sustained collaboration with the Community Reorientation Women Network (CRoWN) and other stakeholders to improve access to essential health services.
The State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Abubakar Labaran Yusuf, stated this at the 2026 CRoWN Annual State Convening held at the Kano State Primary Healthcare Management Board, (KSPHCMB).
Represented by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Abdulkadir Shehu, the Commissioner said the government would continue to promote local ownership and support community-led interventions to improve access to and demand for essential health services.
He explained that community engagement plays a critical role in improving maternal and newborn health, increasing skilled birth attendance, promoting proper nutrition and strengthening the delivery of other essential primary healthcare services.
According to him, the government recognises the contributions of CRoWN Ambassadors, frontline health workers, traditional institutions and community leaders in connecting households with healthcare services.
He stressed the need to integrate community engagement into the state’s health priorities rather than operate it as a separate intervention.
The Commissioner also called for stronger collaboration between CRoWN activities and state and local government health teams, alongside improved coordination, supportive supervision and referral systems to ensure that community-level interventions deliver sustainable results.
In her remarks, the Programme Director, Dr. Rahanah Ibrahim, described CRoWN as a women-led, community-owned and self-sustaining grassroots network that empowers trusted local women to serve as community ambassadors.
She explained that the initiative seeks to improve access to healthcare, nutrition, education, economic empowerment and other essential social services while building stronger and more resilient communities.
Dr. Ibrahim disclosed that since its introduction in Kano State in 2022, CRoWN had expanded from one ward to 24 wards across four local government areas.
She gave the programme’s achievements as 1,491 trained CRoWN Ambassadors, 655,550 households reached, 572 settlements covered and 42 economic empowerment groups established.
According to her, the ambassadors have also facilitated referrals for antenatal care, childhood immunisation and nutrition services, while identifying out-of-school children for possible educational support.
Also speaking, the representative of the Dangote Foundation, Zouera Youssoufou, urged the ambassadors to sustain their efforts, noting that achieving meaningful community transformation requires patience, consistency and continuous engagement.
She encouraged them to listen to the needs of their communities and maintain the momentum towards achieving the initiative’s objectives.
The Ward Head of Zango in Ungogo Local Government Area, Alhaji Hamza Nuhu, and a CRoWN Ambassador from Gobirawa Ward in Dala Local Government Area, Binta Jibrin, also shared success stories, highlighting the impact of the intervention on various health-related challenges in their communities.
CRoWN is implemented by the Aliko Dangote Foundation (ADF) and the Solina Centre for International Development and Research (SCIDaR), in partnership with state governments and other development partners.
Editing By Godwin Duru
