Yadudu foundation offers free Hepatitis treatment to 2000 people

From Yusha’u A. Ibrahim, Kano

The Yadudu Foundation has offered free screening and vaccination against hepatitis to 2000 people in Kano State as part of its annual liver disease workshop being organized in commemoration of the late Captain Isma’il Auwalu Yadudu.

The 9th annual workshop, held yesterday in Kano, was jointly organized by the Yadudu Foundation, Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH) and the Bayero University Kano (BUK).

In a lecture at the event, Professor Muhammad Musa Barodo called for the inclusion of Hepatitis test in the routine ante-natal in both public and private hospitals.

Professor Barodo said that would greatly help government to address the spread of the killer disease in the country, adding that the World Health Organization’s (WHO) target of eliminating hepatitis disease by the year 2030 was achievable.

He said, “We are happy that the Federal government is gradually paying attention towards the disease. Government has formulated a policy aimed at eliminating the disease and this is a step forward in the right direction. Government should also support its subjects by providing enough drugs and facilities meant for treating Hepatitis patients to all public hospital.

“Egypt has set an example in the world by making treatment for Hepatitis patients in the country free. We also want state and federal governments in the Nigerian to do similar things. The treatment of this killer disease is expensive and government needs to come in to assist its people,” he said.

Borodo said it was observed that the disease was on increase globally from 1999 to date, noting that between 2000 and 2015, the disease had increased by 22 per cent worldwide, with Africa and Pacific contributing 2/3.