Northwest University Kano Presents Community Diagnosis Findings from Tofa LGA

The Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Clinical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Northwest University Kano, on Monday, 14th July 2026, held the presentation of findings from its Community Diagnosis exercise conducted by MBBS students.  

The presentation marks the end of the third community diagnosis posting, which was carried out in Doka Ward, Tofa Local Government Area of Kano State.  

In her opening remarks, the Chief Host, the Vice-Chancellor of Northwest University Kano, Professor Amina Salihi Bayero, who was represented by the University Bursar, Mallam Salmanu Muhammad Kibiya, welcomed guests and described the programme as highly significant. She noted that the research findings could serve as valuable evidence for improving healthcare delivery in the study area.  

Furthermore, Mallam Salmanu stated that it has always been the policy of Northwest University Kano to maintain strong engagement with host communities, thereby fostering cordial relationships and collaboration for mutual benefit.  

He expressed appreciation to the host community and the Tofa Local Government Council for their support, hospitality, and the enabling environment provided to the students, which contributed significantly to the success of the project.  

In his welcome address, the Chairman of the Occasion and Provost of the College of Health Sciences, Professor Aliyu Abdu, commended the Chairman of Tofa Local Government, the District Head, community members, and the research team for their cooperation throughout the exercise.  

Professor Abdu disclosed that the community posting was initially planned for Shanono Local Government Area but was relocated to Tofa following reported security concerns in the original location.  

He explained that the purpose of the event was to present the findings of the community diagnosis and identify key health issues requiring intervention to improve the health status of residents in Tofa Local Government Area.  

According to him, the MBBS curriculum at Northwest University Kano is designed to produce medical doctors who can effectively serve in both rural and urban settings. He added that students are trained not only to diagnose diseases in individual patients but also to identify community health challenges and recommend appropriate public health interventions.  

The students presented findings in four major thematic areas: *maternal and child health, cardiovascular diseases, socio-demographic characteristics, and environmental sanitation.*  

The research covered a total of 286 respondents across three settlements. The students noted that the strong cooperation received from the local government authorities, district and ward heads, healthcare workers, and community members greatly facilitated the data collection process.  

Despite the success of the exercise, the students identified several challenges, including the refusal of some residents to participate and the scattered, unstructured layout of houses, which made household listing and numbering difficult.  

Reflecting on the exercise, the students said the posting provided valuable practical experience, enabling them to appreciate the differences between theoretical knowledge and real-life community health situations while gaining hands-on field research skills beyond the classroom.  

In his goodwill message, the Chairman of Tofa Local Government Area, Alhaji Yakubu Ibrahim, thanked Northwest University Kano for conducting the research within his council and pledged to utilise the findings to improve the well-being of the people. He also assured the university of the council's continued support for future collaborations.  

Representing the Hakimin Tofa, the Dagacin Doka, Alhaji Mustapha Mansur, expressed appreciation to the university and expressed hope that the partnership would continue beyond the current project.  

Also speaking, the Head of the Health Department, Tofa Local Government Area, Alhaji Sani Abdu, commended the students for their efforts and encouraged them to further refine the findings to produce a comprehensive and widely acceptable research document.  

In his vote of thanks, Dr. Kabir Getso expressed gratitude to all the guests for honouring the invitation. He also commended the students for their dedication and perseverance throughout the project and appreciated the management of Northwest University Kano for its unwavering support to the Faculty of Clinical Sciences.