A total of 490 persons including vulnerable children from 10 years and above in Tunga Maje, Gwagwalada Area Council have been tested and treated free for Hepatitis B and C.
The outreach was organised by a civil society organisation, Elohim Foundation.
Speaking during the event, the Project Director of the organisation, Julius Ibecheole stated that the exercise which is part of the activities marking this year’s 2015 World Hepatitis Day, marked globally every July 28.
He added that this year’s event is aimed at creating the needed awareness on the increasing spread of Viral Hepatitis in Nigeria, which currently has an infected population of about 20 million Nigeria.
Ibecheole called on the Nigerian government to provide access to treatment and support for infected persons as the cost associated with obtaining the treatment from the very few available specialist centers in the country was very high.
He further called on development agencies and pharmaceutical groups to support hepatitis treatment in Nigeria as the burden of Hepatitis is astronomically far higher than that of HIV and the infection more deadly than HIV.
Beneficiaries of the screening who tested negative were given free vaccination while those that tested positive were referred to Bwari and Asokoro General Hospital.
“These hospitals have specialist to handle the needed treatment while organization follows up the patient through linkage to her support group mechanism to enable them access behaviour change communication, treatment literacy education, treatment support and adherence counselling services.