Increase funding for hepatitis treatment – Stakeholders urge govt

Concerned stakeholders in Taraba State have collectively called on the government at all levels to increase funding for viral hepatitis, urging authorities to allocate resources similar to those provided for HIV/AIDS programs.

The appeal was made during a project startup meeting organized by the Centre for Initiative and Development (CFID) in Jalingo, the state capital.

The meeting focused on improving access to the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of Hepatitis B, HIV, syphilis, and routine Hepatitis C testing among pregnant women and women of childbearing age.

It was also aimed at bringing key organizations, among which include Nigerian Council of Women Societies (NCWS), the Federation of Muslim Women (FOMWAN), the Women Wing of the Christian Association of Nigeria (WOWICAN), the Ministry of Women and Child Development, Traditional Birth Attendants, together to tackle the challenge.

Others attendees, including Taraba State House of Assembly Committee on Health, the Taraba State Primary Health Care Development Agency (TSPHCDA), and the State AIDS and STIs Control Program (SASCP), expressed concerns over the lack of government support for hepatitis programs.

Describing viral hepatitis as an “orphan disease” due to inadequate funding, stakeholders urged both federal and state governments to provide financial backing for prevention, testing, and treatment, similar to the sustained investment in HIV/AIDS interventions.

While commending CFID for offering free hepatitis testing and treatment, they emphasized the need for long-term government involvement.

Representatives from FOMWAN, NCWS, WOWICAN, and the Ministry of Women and Child Development pledged to mobilize women in five benefiting local government areas to access free screening services.

They also called for hepatitis medications and test kits to be made available at no cost, mirroring the provisions available for HIV patients.

Speaking at the event, CFID’s Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Danjuma Adda, highlighted the high prevalence of viral hepatitis in Taraba and across Nigeria, stressing the urgency of intervention.

He announced that under the new project, all pregnant women attending antenatal care would receive free Hepatitis B screening. “Pregnant women who test positive for Hepatitis B will be placed on prophylaxis from the 24th week of pregnancy until their baby receives the final pentavalent vaccine,”; Dr. Adda said.

Additionally, he revealed that free hepatitis testing would be extended to the spouses of pregnant women. Measures have also been put in place to ensure that all newborns—whether delivered in health facilities or at home—receive the Hepatitis B birth dose vaccine within 24 hours of birth.

To further enhance maternal and child healthcare, CFID will train health workers in participating facilities to improve the management of viral hepatitis.

Stakeholders emphasized that increased government funding for hepatitis programs would significantly improve public health outcomes in Taraba State and Nigeria as a whole.