Hepatitis screening flags off in Enugu
By Brown Chimezie
•Prof. Ngwu undergoing screening at the hepatitis awareness programme in Enugu. With him are Oramah, Obi and Okenwa
The Enugu State government has flagged off free hepatitis B and hepatitis C screening, in collaboration with Sepat Pharmaceuticals Ltd., with the aim of eliminating the diseases and controlling its spread in the state and the country at large.
The commissioner for Health, Prof. Ikechukwu Obi, flagged off the free screening exercise at the Enugu State University of Science and Technology Teaching Hospital (ESUTH), Parklane, Enugu, on Tuesday.
Urging residents to take advantage of the free screening to be conducted by Sepat Pharmaceuticals Ltd from March 19 to 24, Obi said it was not only for the early detection of the diseases, but would also a means of data collection, in addition to helping in the fight against the viral diseases in the state.
The commissioner remarked: “What we are here to address today is a disease that can go to your liver, which is the engine of every human, and start destroying it silently. The spectrum of medical and healthcare involves health promotion, health prevention and treatment.
“We will put hepatitis B and C at the front burner and see how this silent killer can be put in abeyance in our state.
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“The governor approved that it would be nice to have a situation where, beyond carrying out free testing, it would be possible for the Ministry of Health to get very useful data, which is even lacking at the national level.
“We are going to collect hard data, which will help in making hard and necessary decisions that will save lives, and our partners have also said they will also subsidise certain aspects of the treatment for hepatitis C patients that would be discovered within the period of the free screening.”
Speaking earlier, the chairman of Sepat Pharmaceuticals Ltd., Dr. Pat Oramah, who lamented the rising scourge of hepatitis B and C among many Nigerians, underscored the importance of the free screening programme in the countrys health sector.
Oramah, whose Sepat sponsored the programme, explained that investing in the free screening and encouraging the promotional awareness were not only the right things to do but also smart, in order to save lives, because hepatitis is a dangerous disease that kills silently.
Oramah further said: “We are partnering with an Egyptian company called Pharco Pharmaceuticals, because Egypt has the highest number of hepatitis C in the world, but with Pharco, our partners, within two years, Egypt is today hepatitis C free. And this is what we came to replicate here in Enugu.
“Dr. Peter Mbah is development-inclined and he places a high premium on health, which is why he gave us this platform to come to Enugu and conduct this free screening, and we wont stop there. Those who are found positive for hepatitis C will receive subsidised treatment.”
Also, the chief medical director of ESUTH, Prof. Bertrand Ngwu, commended the governor for providing the platform that would help in saving the lives of the people, as he also pledged the dedication of the medical institution in ensuring that the mission and vision of the government and the Sepat Pharmaceuticals Ltd., were achieved.
Nogwu said: “Hepatitis A, B, C, D and E all affect the liver. The worst of them is the one that causes chronic inflammation, which are B and C. Hepatitis B and C cause liver cirrhosis, which mostly ends in liver cancer, and not many who have liver cancer survive.
“We must applaud the governor for this initiative and partake in it. This is a clarion call from the ESUTH management and staff for everyone to be part of this vanguard to help the government and Sepat Pharmaceuticals Ltd to ensure that the people of Enugu State benefit maximally from this great initiative.”