The Kano State Government has declared Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) a major but preventable public health burden, with over 1.2 million residents currently living with the life-threatening disease.
Commissioner for Health, Dr. Abubakar Labaran Yusuf, made this disclosure during a press conference to mark the 2025 World Hepatitis Day (WHD), themed “Hepatitis: Let’s Break the Silence”.
Dr. Yusuf described the rising number of infections in the state as alarming, warning that without timely diagnosis and treatment, HBV could lead to fatal complications such as liver cirrhosis and cancer.
He called on the public to recognize the national and local threat posed by hepatitis and support efforts to halt its spread.
As part of its response, the Kano State Government has committed N95 million to launch a new public health intervention titled HepFree Mothers, Healthy Babies, also known as HepFree Uwadajariri.
The initiative, launched in February 2025, aims to eliminate mother-to-child transmission (MTCT) of hepatitis B in line with Nigeria’s Triple Elimination Strategy for HIV, hepatitis, and syphilis, and the global 2030 elimination targets.
According to the commissioner, Kano is the first state in Nigeria to independently launch and fund the Triple Elimination Programme, offering free screening and treatment to pregnant women diagnosed with hepatitis B. Under the scheme, women begin antiviral treatment with Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate (TDF) from 32 weeks of pregnancy to prevent transmission to their babies.
In addition, trained immunization officers have been stationed in labour wards to administer the first dose of the hepatitis B vaccine to newborns at birth, also at no cost.
Dr. Yusuf noted that 70 to 80 percent of HBV infections in Nigeria are acquired through mother-to-child transmission, emphasizing the importance of birth-dose vaccination in breaking the transmission chain.
To scale up the programme, the state has proposed an additional N135 million to expand the intervention and procure more supplies for effective implementation.
The initiative is currently being piloted in seven key health facilities, including Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Murtala Mohammed Specialist Hospital, Muhammad Wase Teaching Hospital, and General Hospitals in Gaya, Bichi, Wudil, and Dawakin Tofa.
“These centres offer free hepatitis B screening and treatment for all eligible pregnant women with technical support from the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) and other partners,” Dr. Yusuf said.
On blood safety, the commissioner announced that all public and private blood transfusion centres in the state are now mandated to screen donated blood for hepatitis B to prevent secondary transmission.
He also revealed plans to integrate hepatitis care into maternal, newborn, and child health services throughout the state’s healthcare system, alongside efforts to strengthen supply chains and improve data management for better outcomes.
Dr. Yusuf called on development partners, private sector stakeholders, and the media to support Kano’s hepatitis elimination efforts through funding, advocacy, and public awareness campaigns.
“Together, we can eliminate viral hepatitis as a public health threat in Kano State and across Nigeria,” he affirmed.
World Hepatitis Day is commemorated globally on July 28 to raise awareness and accelerate action against the disease, which continues to claim lives despite being both preventable and treatable.
