18,429 test positive for Hepatitis in Nasarawa – Commissioner
The Nasarawa State Government has said that no fewer than 18,429 residents of the state have tested positive for the viral Hepatitis B and C.
The state Commissioner for Health, Ahmed Yahaya, dislosed this during a press briefing held in commemoration of the 2022 World Hepatitis Day tagged, ‘Bringing Hepatitis Care Closer to You’, in Lafia on Thursday.
He explained that a total of 181,946 residents were screened but 18,429 tested positive for the disease, adding that some of the infected persons were presently receiving treatments in government hospitals across the 13 local government areas of the state.
He said, “In Africa, it is estimated that about 15–60% of the normal population are living with either HBV or HCV, while the national burden for HBV and HCV stands at 8.1% & 1.1% respectively (NATIS. 2018). The Nasarawa state burden stood at about 16% & 13.2% sero-prevalence for HBV & HCV, respectively.
“Nasarawa State, under the leadership of Governor Abdullahi Sule, in February 2020, expressed commitment to the elimination of viral Hepatitis through the implementation of a five-year strategic plan with a target of treating 124,000 persons in line with the Nasarawa Economic Development Strategy, targeted at improving human capacity development.”
“The state clearly exhibits a disproportionately high prevalence of Hepatitis B and C as compared to the national average. It is the high burden of this dreaded disease in the state that led the state Ministry of Health, with support from the Clinton Health Access Initiative, to establish the State’s Viral Hepatitis Control Programme, creating an enabling policy environment to drive access to HBV/HCV diagnostic and treatment services. “
The commissioner added that in order to tackle the virus, the state government created testing centres across the 13 LGAs for mass community screening and called on residents to avail themselves of the screening.
“I call on the general public to avail themselves of being tested for HBV and HCV, and avoid the use of unsterilised sharp objects, sharing of needles/syringes, and the transfusion of unscreened blood and blood products.”
“I also want to appeal to all residents of the state to spread the Hepatitis message widely and emphasise the adoption of preventive measures that will reduce the further spread of the disease,” Yahaya added.
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