Enugu Commences Free Hepatitis Screening

Bennett Oghifo

The Enugu State government has begun a free Hepatitis B and C screening in collaboration with Sepat Pharmaceuticals Limited, with the aim of eliminating the diseases and controlling their spread in the state and country at large.

The Enugu State Commissioner for Health, Prof. Ikechukwu Obi, launched the free screening exercise at the Enugu State University of Science and Technology Teaching Hospital (ESUTH), Parklane, Enugu, recently.

Assuring that the state must take advantage of the free screening being 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 serve as a means of data collection, in addition to helping in the fight against the viral diseases in the state.

The commissioner added: “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.

“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 country’s health sector.

Oramah, whose Sepat sponsored the programme 100 per cent, explained that investing in the free screening exercise and encouraging the relevant promotional awareness, were not only the right things to do, but also the smart things to do, in order to save lives, because Hepatitis is a dangerous disease that kills silently.

Oramah further stated, “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 won’t stop there. Those who are found positive for hepatitis C will receive subsidised treatment.”

Also speaking, 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.