Panacea Foundation honours late volunteer with tree planting at Kano Hospital
A nongovernmental organization, Panacea Foundation, in collaboration, with the Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL), has planted 60 trees at Imam Wali General Hospital in Kano State in memory of Panacea Foundation volunteer, late Arc. Hassana Gambo.
Speaking at the hospital on Thursday, Kano ACReSAL Project Coordinator Dr Dahiru M. Hashim said the activity honors the memory of Hassana Gambo, a dedicated Panacea Foundation member who passed away five months ago.
“Panacea Foundation is carrying out this tree planting exercise in her remembrance,” he stated.
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Dr. Hashim explained, “Panacea, an organization I co-founded but no longer serve in, is participating in this tree planting project by ACReSAL. All the tree planting we are doing is community-led, with ACReSAL providing the necessary support. Panacea reached out to ACReSAL for seedlings, which is why I’m here in multiple capacities: as a medical doctor, ACReSAL Project Coordinator, and a member of Panacea Foundation.”
He added, “You can say this is a Panacea activity, an ACReSAL activity, and an activity of the hospital. The goal of the partnership is to undertake the project together so everyone can share in the success. We are planting close to 200 trees. Although the digging of holes is not yet complete, we plan to plant 60 trees today. The limited space of the hospital means we focus on planting trees that enhance the aesthetic view.”
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Reflecting on past commitments, Dr. Hashim noted, “At a recent press conference, we unveiled our plan to plant 3 million trees within Kano during this rainy season. Our initiatives include restoring degraded land, farmer-managed natural regeneration, and urban tree planting. We aim to plant 1 million seedlings within Kano metropolis. Thousands of seedlings have already been planted across various MDAs in Kano State.”
Dr. Usman Bashir, a Panacea Foundation member and Director General of the Kano State Agency for the Control of AIDS, emphasized the importance of tree planting.
“Trees are vital as they provide shade, act as windbreakers, and produce fruits such as mangoes and oranges, benefiting both patients and staff. Trees help mitigate the effects of climate change by trapping carbon and producing oxygen,” he said.
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He added, “Before planting, we engage stakeholders to ensure there is adequate water supply for the trees, especially during the dry season. We plant one-meter seedlings that are more likely to survive, and we use geolocation and satellite images to monitor their progress.”
Dr. Hauwa Ibrahim, the Chief Medical Officer in charge of the hospital, expressed gratitude for the initiative. “This tree planting will cool the hospital and alleviate the overheating issue. We are committed to taking good care of these trees so they can grow fully and benefit us and future generations.’’
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