Kogi State Government has flagged off a statewide hepatitis screening and vaccination campaign as part of efforts to curb the spread of the viral disease and improve public health outcomes across the state.
The campaign which began in Lokoja, is being carried out in collaboration with the Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria (AMLSN), Kogi State Branch and the AIDS Health Care Foundation with support from the Kogi State Ministry of Health.
Representing the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Abdulazeez Adams, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mr. Momoh Steven Azeez said the campaign is in line with the administration’s renewed commitment to tackle silent but deadly diseases like hepatitis.
He described the awareness campaign as timely and critical to safeguarding the health of Kogi residents.
“This is a silent killer. The government under Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo is determined to confront all threats to public health. Through screening, vaccination, and sensitisation, we aim to drastically reduce hepatitis-related illnesses and deaths,” he stated.
In the same vein, the Chairman of Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria in Kogi State, Mr. Babatunde Samuel, noted that the campaign was designed to mark the 2025 World Hepatitis Day, observed globally on July 28.
He explained that the outreach is taking place simultaneously in Lokoja, Anyigba, and Obangede, offering free hepatitis screening and education to residents.
“The theme for this year is ‘Let’s Break It Down,’ which speaks to breaking the silence, the stigma, and the barriers that prevent people from knowing their status or accessing care” he said.
He appealed to the state government to support the effort by providing a medical outreach bus to expand screening to all senatorial districts on a regular basis, while calling for more support towards adult hepatitis vaccinations, which he said are currently more available in private hospitals and beyond the reach of most people in need.
Also speaking, the Director of Public Health in the State Ministry of Health, Dr. Francis Akpa, emphasized the importance of regular screening, noting that hepatitis B and C often show no symptoms until late stages, potentially progressing to liver cancer.
Health experts at the event urged members of the public to take advantage of the free screening services, know their hepatitis status, and seek early treatment or vaccination to prevent complications.
