The global humanitarian club, the Rotary Club yesterday predicted a low prevalence of Hepatitis B and C viruses in two centres of Yenagoa,the Bayelsa State capital following the screening and testing of 350 persons including a 75 years old Bakassi returnee.
Out of the 350 persons screened and tested, three persons tested positive at the Bakassi returnee camp while two others tested positive at the Azikoro estate area of the State capital.
The exercise, which was conducted by the Rotary Club of Yenagoa City Centre District 9141, was carries out in line with Rotary’s six areas of focus including disease prevention and treatment and joining the rest of the world in commemorating the 2019 World Hepatitis Day (28th July) with the theme; FINDING THE MISSING MILLIONS.
Rotarian Kenneth Iroakazi, the President, Rotary club of Yenagoa City Center, in a statement issued on the exercise and made available to Leadership, stated that the project was carried out on a wide scale across two major centres in Yenagoa City Bayelsa State on the 27th of July 2019.
According to him, ‘As it is, this is the maiden project of the Rotary Club of Yenagoa City Centre for the Rotary Year 2019-2020, the project invariably achieved it’s four-pronged target objectives of creating long lasting awareness of the burden of viral hepatitis B and C on the Nigerian society, Increasing case detection and Linkage to appropriate prevention and treatment services and Fostering effective partnerships with stakeholders’
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‘The abysmally low knowledge of the cause and effect of viral Hepatitis B and C has contributed significantly to increased viral transmission rates, morbidity and mortality amongst populations. The Rotary Club of Yenagoa City Centre in response to this engaged in robust awareness campaigns in different settings.’
‘The positive outcomes of these activities were clearly manifest in the large number of persons who turned out for the screening exercise and the enormous support received from collaborating organizations’.
‘The World Health Organization had earlier declared viral hepatitis B and C to be feared more than HIV/AIDS and TB. For favourable disease outcomes, early detection is usually key. This was also strongly hinged on Hepatitis B and C testing services which form the gateway for prevention, care and treatment services for persons living with the virus.’
‘ The Hepatitis B and C screening was therefore, amongst others, intended to increase case detection for appropriate linkage(s) to care. Testing was done in strict compliance with National Guidelines on Hepatitis B and C testing services and confidentiality maintained as enshrined in the Bill of Patients Rights and Responsibilities’.
‘Testing was carried out simultaneously in two centres cutting across age groups and socioeconomic strata. Programming is ongoing for follow up immunization services for persons who tested negative and eligible for vaccination, as well as linkage to care and treatment services for incident positive case findings.’
‘ The Internal Medicine Department of Federal Medical Centre Yenagoa and Niger Delta University Teaching Hospital remain close referral centres. Fortunately, of the total number of persons screened, only very few were tested positive to the virus, showcasing a low prevalence of the disease among residents of Ekiki Housing Estate and Cameroun IDP camp’.
‘Further efforts are however needed for sustained maintenance of negative sero-status through increased sensitization screening and immunization programmes.
It is noteworthy that data generated from this project is being shared with the relevant reporting bodies to assist in the epidemiological and biostatistical profiling of the burden of viral hepatitis on our communities.’
‘We are in no doubt on the right track and reaffirm the commitment of the Rotary Club of Yenagoa City Centre in scaling up programs/activities geared towards disease prevention and treatment. We will continue to be innovative and connect the rest of the world through the ideal of service and genuine love:
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