By Haruna Gimba
In commemoration of his 53rd birthday, the Founder of the Africa Health Budget Network (AHBN) and Chairman of the Aminu Magashi Garba Foundation (AMGF), Dr Aminu Magashi Garba, has announced an economic empowerment initiative for young health graduates in Kano State.
Dr Magashi disclosed that the plan was initiated on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, during a bilateral meeting with the Kano State Ministry of Special Duties to discuss the Ministry’s proposed 2027 budget.
Health Reporters Newspaper reports that the meeting was held with the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Comrade Uwani Ahmed Balarabe, alongside all the directors of the ministry.
According to him, the two parties discussed a joint special intervention programme that will be co-financed to economically empower young health graduates with seed capital, technical support and capacity building to establish and manage patent proprietary medicine stores or to strengthen their existing health-related businesses.
Under the arrangement, the Aminu Magashi Garba Foundation will provide N10 million as co-financing, while the Ministry of Special Duties is expected to commit adequate funds in its 2027 budget to support the scheme.
The intervention, tagged; Lafiya Gida Gida, will be implemented in collaboration with Non-Governmental Organisations, professional fora and development partners, to reach a critical mass of young health graduates in need through a carefully designed transparent selection process.
Dr Magashi said groups such as the Kano State Healthcare Forum and Gida Gida Health and Economic Empowerment Services will form part of the initial partners to be consulted for the collaboration.
He explained that the initiative was conceived as part of activities marking his 53rd birthday, with the aim of tackling youth unemployment in the health sector and improving access to essential medicines at the community level.
“The goal is to empower our young health graduates to become self-reliant while also strengthening the last-mile delivery of health commodities in Kano. This is my birthday gift to the youth,” he said.
The Permanent Secretary, Comrade Uwani Balarabe, commended the gesture, assuring that the ministry will work with relevant stakeholders to ensure the programme is captured in the 2027 budget and implemented transparently for maximum impact.
