The Nasarawa State Government, in collaboration with the Federal Medical Centre in Keffi, has launched an initiative to test and treat residents infected with Hepatitis B and C across all 13 local government areas.
According to The PUNCH, this initiative was announced by Acting Governor Dr. Emmanuel Akabe on Friday in Doma LGA, during the launch of the ‘Viral Hepatitis Free Village Campaign’, which aims to eliminate viral hepatitis in Nasarawa State by 2030.
Dr. Akabe highlighted that the collaboration with the hospital also includes a medical outreach to deliver comprehensive healthcare services in rural areas of the state.
The program began in Doma due to its historically high incidence of viral hepatitis, which has claimed numerous lives.
Akabe commended the doctors from the Federal Medical Centre, Keffi, for their partnership in combating prevalent diseases and reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to eradicating hepatitis by 2030.
He urged residents to participate in hepatitis testing at government healthcare facilities and to avoid risky behaviors, such as using unsterilized sharp objects, sharing needles, and receiving unscreened blood transfusions.
“Hepatitis has been killing our people slowly and steadily. The prevalence of hepatitis in Doma LGA is high, which is why we decided to flag off this program here today. I, therefore, urge all the residents to give the needed support to the medical teams as they move across the state for the medical outreach program,” said Dr. Akabe.
Chief Medical Director of the Federal Medical Centre, Keffi, Dr Yahaya Adamu, represented by Dr. Ahmed Kana, expressed the hospital’s commitment to the well-being of Nasarawa State residents.
State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Gaza Gwamna, praised the efforts of the federal government and other partners in combating the virus and other deadly diseases.
He stated that the outreach aims to reach 6,000 individuals in each LGA, with medical teams fully equipped for the task.
HRH Aliyu Ogah, the Andoma of Doma, thanked the state government and the medical team for their efforts, expressing optimism that the outreach would significantly improve the health and well-being of the residents.
The event, attended by top government officials and dignitaries, featured the presentation of a Volkswagen Sharon Bus to the medical team by the Nasarawa State government.
In March 2023, Governor Abdullahi Sule announced that the state had allocated N100 million to combat the spread of Hepatitis Virus across all 13 local government areas, during the launch of the ‘Hepatitis C Virus Self-Testing Implementation’ program by Jhpiego Nigeria in Lafia.
