40 mass wedding candidates tested positive to HIV, pregnancy, others – Hisbah

No fewer than 40 intending couples tested positive to Hepatitis B, HIV, sickle cell and pregnancy in the proposed mass wedding initiated by the Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf.

Spokesman of Hisbah Board, Lawan Fagge, said this in a statement issued to newsmen.

He said about 5,000 intending couples were screened ahead of the proposed mass wedding and found that some of them have some health issues.

Fagge explained that the affected couples have since been replaced with other candidates in the ongoing exercise.

According to him “about 40 male and female have Hepatitis B, some have sickle cell, some are pregnant while others are HIV positive.”

He said the victims are currently undergoing counseling and receiving medication for the next months.

“They might be considered later if they cope with the counseling and medication, we have successfully screened about 5,000 out of which we only needed 1,800 couples,” Fagge stressed.

The Kano State Government has earmarked the sum of N854 million for the conduct of mass weddings for the over 1,800 couples in the state.