By MUHAMMAD NUR TIJANI

Kano State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Abubakar Labaran, says an estimated 1.2 million people are currently living with Hepatitis B in the state.

Labaran made this known during a news conference on Monday in Kano, to commemorate the 2025 World Hepatitis Day.

He said preliminary data showed that the prevalence rate of Hepatitis B in the state stands at over six per cent, aligning with national trends.

“Hepatitis B and C continues to be a major public health concerns across Nigeria.

“Preliminary data indicates a hepatitis B prevalence of over 6 per cent in Kano, mirroring national trends and representing an estimated 1.2 million people living with the virus,” he said.

The commissioner expressed concern that the virus, though preventable and treatable, often goes undetected, leading to serious complications such as liver cancer and cirrhosis.

He noted that the state government was intensifying efforts to reduce the burden of the disease through early diagnosis, access to treatment and integration of services into routine healthcare delivery.

He explained that the ministry of health had adopted a person-centred approach, with a focus on pregnant women and other high-risk groups.

Labaran recalled that in February, the ministry launched a pilot programme titled: “HepFree Mothers, Healthy Babies (HepFree Uwadajariri)”, aimed at eliminating mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of Hepatitis B through early screening and treatment.

He said the initiative was aligned with the Triple Elimination Effort (TEE), which targets HIV, Hepatitis, and Syphilis among pregnant women attending antenatal care.

According to him, Kano is the first state in Nigeria to fully commence and take ownership of the Triple Elimination process.

He disclosed that the state government had released N95 million for the procurement of test kits and Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate (TDF), a drug, given free of charge to pregnant women, who tests positive from 32 weeks of gestation until delivery.

The commissioner said that immunisation officers had been deployed to labour wards across the state to administer the first dose of the Hepatitis B vaccine, which he said is also free, immediately after birth.

He added that a request for an additional N135 million was awaiting approval to purchase more materials needed to strengthen the ongoing fight against MTCT of Hepatitis B.

Labaran noted that mother-to-child transmission accounts for an estimated 70 to 80 per cent of all Hepatitis B infections.

He called on stakeholders, including development partners, civil society groups and the private sector to support the state’s efforts through funding, awareness campaigns and strategic collaboration.

He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to achieving the global target of eliminating viral hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030. (NAN)