Follow Us on Google
To commemorate World Hepatitis Day, Cerba Lancet Nigeria, has screened 247 residents of Mushin Local Government, Lagos State, for Hepatitis B and provided free health checks and public education on the dangers of the disease.
The one-day programme also featured blood pressure, weight and random blood sugar checks, with residents who tested positive for Hepatitis B referred to appropriate health facilities for further management.
Managing Directo, Cerba Lancet, Dr. Olayemi Dawodu, said the initiative was designed to raise awareness about Hepatitis B, enable residents to know their health status and link those who test positive to appropriate healthcare facilities for further management.
Dawodu said the company also provided food and medication support to some participants as part of its corporate social responsibility initiative. She described Hepatitis B as a viral infection that could cause serious liver complications, including liver cancer, if not detected and managed early.
According to her, the disease can spread through contact with infected blood, unprotected sex with an infected person, sharing of needles and syringes, and the use of unsterilised equipment for piercing and tattooing.
She noted that although Hepatitis B and C have different characteristics, they share some modes of transmission, making public education and preventive measures critical to reducing the burden of viral hepatitis.
Dawodu stressed that vaccination remains an effective means of preventing Hepatitis B, urging people who had not been vaccinated to take advantage of available vaccination services.
On the continued prevalence of the disease despite the availability of a vaccine, she said more investment was needed in grassroots advocacy and health education.
“We still need to do a lot of work by educating communities in their local languages to enable them understand the disease and how it spreads, so that we can prevent a larger number of people from being infected,” she said.
Head, Business Development, Temitope Ambrose, said Mushin was deliberately chosen for the programme because it was where the company began its operations.
Ambrose said the initiative was organised shortly after World Hepatitis Day, marked globally on July 28, because the company wanted to participate in the campaign despite the limited time available for preparation.
Other News
He expressed delight over the turnout, saying the organisers initially planned to screen 200 people but recorded 247 participants.
According to him, the exercise included registration, blood pressure checks, weight measurement, random blood sugar testing and Hepatitis screening.
“Many people don’t even know they have the disease, and it can be deadly. While we are talking about Hepatitis B, it is equally important to talk about Hepatitis C because both diseases have serious health consequences,” Ambrose said.
He added that the campaign was aimed at taking health education and screening to the grassroots while encouraging residents to take early detection seriously.
Vice Chairman, Mushin LG, who also supervises health, Semiu Karaole, said the council chairman, Tunbosun Aruwe, had made healthcare a priority and introduced regular health programmes for residents.
Karaole said the council has seven primary healthcare centres and four functional ambulances, adding that the council was committed to supporting the state government’s efforts to improve healthcare delivery.
Council’s Medical Officer, Dr. Odufuwa Kayode, described Hepatitis B as a major public health concern
He said untreated Hepatitis B could cause liver inflammation and lead to serious complications, stressing that early detection remained critical to effective management.
Participants at the programme expressed appreciation for the free screening, saying it provided an opportunity for them to know their health status.
They called for the initiative to be sustained and expanded to other local government areas and local council development areas in the state.
