Kwara Govt promotes Hepatitis screening, treatment

Kwara Commissioner for Health, Dr Raji Razaq, on Thursday urged   Nigerians to go for hepatitis screening, describing the viral infection as a silent killer.

Razaq said this while addressing journalists on the sidelines of a sensitisation walk organised to commemorate the 2022 World Hepatitis Day.

The programme was in collaboration with Rotary Club, Ilorin Metro, and Centre For Care and Research.

Raji, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Dr Abubakar Ayinla said Nigerians could get screened for hepatitis in health facilities around the state.

According to him, viral hepatitis remains a disease of public health importance, noting that there is limited global progress in addressing the scourge.

He said that the World Hepatitis Day was marked on July 28 annually to raise awareness of this “silent killer,” responsible for the deaths of many Nigerians.

This year’s theme is ‘Bringing Hepatitis Care Closer to You,’ which aims to highlight the need to bring hepatitis care closer to primary healthcare facilities and communities, to ensure better access to treatment and care.

The Commissioner assured that the state government would continue to place top priority on healthcare services in the state.

Speaking earlier, the President of Rotary Club, Iloriin Metro, Mrs Mojirola Ibiyemi, said the awareness creation was an essential mechanism to reduce hepatitis infections in the state.

Ibiyemi stated that Rotary Clubs would continue to support the state government in making health care delivery accessible to the masses.

Also in her remarks, Mrs Nike Kehinde, the Team Lead, at the Centre for Clinical Care and Clinical Research of Nigeria, said that the walk was to intensify awareness campaign and to reduce hepatitis by 2030.

She said that the Viral Hepatitis is a sexually transmitted disease that needs to be eradicated with the support of all and sundry.