Health experts have urged Nigerians to undergo regular hepatitis screening and vaccination, warning that low awareness and late diagnosis continue to drive the burden of the disease across the country.
The call was made on Tuesday during a World Hepatitis Day outreach organised by Nisa Garki Hospital in partnership with the Institute of Human Virology Nigeria, Zolon Healthcare Limited, MEGA, URAH, the Clinton Health Access Initiative and Abbott at the Sa’peyi Palace in Garki, Abuja.
The one-day outreach, themed “Early Detection Saves Lives: Know Your Status”, offered free hepatitis, HIV, malaria and syphilis screening, alongside counselling and public health education. Organisers said the programme aimed to screen at least 1,000 residents.
Consultant Physician and Gastroenterologist at Nisa Garki Hospital, Dr Justice Igbiti, said the initiative was designed to bring health education and screening services closer to underserved communities with limited access to healthcare.
Addressing participants, Igbiti explained the five major types of viral hepatitis—A, B, C, D and E—and outlined their various modes of transmission, including contaminated food or water, infected blood and other bodily fluids.
He distinguished between acute and chronic hepatitis, noting that while acute infections may clear within six months, chronic hepatitis can persist and lead to serious complications such as liver cirrhosis, liver failure and liver cancer if left untreated.
The consultant also dismissed the misconception that people living with hepatitis should avoid eating beans, stressing that beans and other protein-rich foods are important components of a balanced diet and should not be excluded because of misinformation.
Speaking to journalists, Igbiti said community-based outreach remained one of the most effective ways to improve awareness, adding that many Nigerians were unaware that hepatitis screening was available and that the disease could be prevented or effectively managed when detected early.
He warned that hepatitis B is significantly more infectious than HIV and said many patients only seek medical attention after developing advanced liver complications.
According to him, adults born before the introduction of routine hepatitis B vaccination should get tested, while newborns should continue to receive the vaccine at birth to reduce future infections.
He added that although there is currently no vaccine for hepatitis C, the disease can be cured if diagnosed and treated early. Individuals who test positive during the outreach, he said, would receive follow-up care at the hospital.
Representing the FCT Mandate Secretary for Health, Dr Adedolapo Fasawe, the Director of Public Health, Dr Teresa Nwachukwu, commended the organisers, traditional leaders and community members for supporting the initiative.
She said the FCT Administration was working to remove barriers such as cost, stigma and distance that discourage people from seeking healthcare, stressing that knowing one’s hepatitis status could save lives.
The Head of Marketing and Communications at Nisa Garki Hospital, Uche Francis, said taking this year’s campaign into the community, rather than hosting it at the hospital, was intended to reach people with limited access to health information and screening services.
She described hepatitis awareness in Nigeria as inadequate and called for more community-based sensitisation, particularly in underserved communities where residents face greater health risks.
Francis added that the outreach also provided free HIV and syphilis screening, while medication and counselling services were made available to participants where necessary.
The Sapeyi of Garki, HRH Alhaji Usman Ngakupi, thanked the organisers for bringing healthcare services directly to the community and appealed for similar outreach programmes covering other health conditions, including diabetes, as well as greater support to make healthcare more affordable for residents.
Some participants expressed appreciation for the free screening and encouraged others to know their health status rather than avoid testing out of fear.
The outreach concluded with a strong turnout, as residents welcomed the initiative and called on government agencies, healthcare providers and development partners to sustain community-based health campaigns aimed at promoting early diagnosis and improving access to preventive healthcare.
