A civil society organisation, the Northern Health Accountability Coalition (NHAC), has hailed Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, for launching what it described as Nigeria’s first non-stop, year-round intervention against Hepatitis through the initiative tagged Project 365.
At a press conference led by its Coordinator, Comrade Musa Garba in Kaduna Wednesday, the group said the programme represents a decisive shift from sporadic health campaigns to sustained, system-driven response, aimed at tackling one of the country’s most underreported but deadly public health threats.
According to NHAC, Nigeria currently accounts for over 20 million cases of Hepatitis B and C, placing it among the highest-burden countries globally. It added that less than 10 per cent of infected persons are aware of their status, while thousands die annually from complications such as liver cirrhosis and cancer.
The group commended Governor Sani for introducing a 365-day continuous screening, diagnosis, and treatment model, noting that the initiative has the potential to reach hundreds of thousands of residents annually, significantly narrowing the gap between infection and access to care.
“By institutionalising uninterrupted access to Hepatitis services, Kaduna State is not only saving lives but also setting a national template for preventive healthcare delivery,” the statement said.
NHAC further noted that the initiative aligns with global targets to eliminate Hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030, stressing that Kaduna, under Governor Sani’s leadership, is already positioning itself as a front-runner in innovative and inclusive health sector reforms.
It urged other states of the federation to emulate the model, emphasising that political will, backed by data and sustained implementation, remains the most effective strategy in confronting Nigeria’s silent epidemics.
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