By Victor Nwegede.
The Wife of Ebonyi State Governor, Chief Mrs Mary-Maudline Uzoamka Nwifuru, yesterday began an awareness campaign against hepatitis and tuberculosis in the state.
Flagging off the awareness campaign and sensitization exercise at Iboko, the Izzi local government headquarters, during the grand finale of the 2024 August meeting for Ebonyi women, Mrs Nwifuru enjoined the state residents to converge en-mass for hepatitis and tuberculosis screening.
The Ebonyi First Lady stated that her foundation, Better Health for Rural Women, Children and Internally Displaced Persons, in partnership with the state government, embarked on the screening and awareness campaign against the diseases to eliminate and control the spread of the scourge in the state and country at large.
She said BERWO, with the state government, would conduct the free screening exercise for residents across the 13 local government areas of the state.
She further charged wives of local government chairmen in the state to sensitize and monitor the exercise in their council areas to save lives, stressing that the health conditions of the people have continued to pose threats due to lack of awareness.
Mrs Nwifuru, according to a press release issued on Tuesday by her Press Secretary, Nnenna Oshibe, "the Stop TB Champion of Ebonyi State," bemoaned that Hepatitis B - a disease that affects the liver, can lead to serious health complications if not detected and treated early, and Tuberculosis - an infectious disease that primarily affects the lungs, remains a significant public health concern."
The governor's wife stated that both of these diseases are preventable and treatable, yet they continue to pose a threat due to a lack of awareness and access to medical services.
"This screening and awareness campaign will not only provide our people with the knowledge they need to protect themselves and their loved ones but also ensure that those affected receive the care and support they deserve," Nwifuru said.
The Commissioner for Health, Dr Moses Ekuma, in his remark, lamented the rising scourge of hepatitis and tuberculosis among many Nigerians and underscored the importance of the free screening programme in the state.
Ekuma disclosed that the global fund partner donated 26 motorcycles to 13 tuberculosis (TB) coordinators and 13 deputy coordinators.
He said that the motorcycles would enable them to distribute TB drugs and sensitise people on the need to report possible symptoms.
The medical expert described Governor Nwifuru as a health-friendly leader and added that his Wife, Mary-Maudline, was appointed as the “Stop TB Champion” of Ebonyi State. He called on the media to assist in the dissemination of information on the screening exercise against TB to the public.
The Special Adviser to the governor on Primary Health, Mr Sabinus Nwibo, revealed that Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) and C are endemic in the state.
Nwibo added that these particular health conditions were constantly present within the Ikwo and Izzi communities in the state.
He explained that the health conditions are infectious diseases, causing health burdenss due to complications associated with infection, such as cirrhosis and liver cancer.
He said hepatitis B and C are dangerous types of virus diseases, among others. He said that the health conditions, transformed into hepatocellular carcinoma, causedrivercirosis and other damage.
“Governor Francis Nwifuru has approved and funded instruments needed for the sensitisation campaign and screening exercises of the health condition of the 13 LGAs of the state. Today, we flag off the exercise and it will continue simultaneously in all the nooks and crannies of the state.
“Those who tested positive, during the exercise will be taken care of and the negative will be given hepatitis B vaccine for prevention,” Nwibo said.
High points of the events were lectures on the dangers of hepatitis by Dr Lillian Nwobashi and Dr Sabinus Nwibo, who spoke on Tuberculosis, the distribution of motorcycles, relief materials and empowerment, as well as the flag-off of the screening.
The Wife of Ebonyi State Governor, Chief Mrs Mary-Maudline Uzoamka Nwifuru, yesterday began an awareness campaign against hepatitis and tuberculosis in the state.
The Ebonyi First Lady stated that her foundation, Better Health for Rural Women, Children and Internally Displaced Persons, in partnership with the state government, embarked on the screening and awareness campaign against the diseases to eliminate and control the spread of the scourge in the state and country at large.
She said BERWO, with the state government, would conduct the free screening exercise for residents across the 13 local government areas of the state.
She further charged wives of local government chairmen in the state to sensitize and monitor the exercise in their council areas to save lives, stressing that the health conditions of the people have continued to pose threats due to lack of awareness.
Mrs Nwifuru, according to a press release issued on Tuesday by her Press Secretary, Nnenna Oshibe, "the Stop TB Champion of Ebonyi State," bemoaned that Hepatitis B - a disease that affects the liver, can lead to serious health complications if not detected and treated early, and Tuberculosis - an infectious disease that primarily affects the lungs, remains a significant public health concern."
The governor's wife stated that both of these diseases are preventable and treatable, yet they continue to pose a threat due to a lack of awareness and access to medical services.
"This screening and awareness campaign will not only provide our people with the knowledge they need to protect themselves and their loved ones but also ensure that those affected receive the care and support they deserve," Nwifuru said.
The Commissioner for Health, Dr Moses Ekuma, in his remark, lamented the rising scourge of hepatitis and tuberculosis among many Nigerians and underscored the importance of the free screening programme in the state.
Ekuma disclosed that the global fund partner donated 26 motorcycles to 13 tuberculosis (TB) coordinators and 13 deputy coordinators.
He said that the motorcycles would enable them to distribute TB drugs and sensitise people on the need to report possible symptoms.
The medical expert described Governor Nwifuru as a health-friendly leader and added that his Wife, Mary-Maudline, was appointed as the “Stop TB Champion” of Ebonyi State. He called on the media to assist in the dissemination of information on the screening exercise against TB to the public.
The Special Adviser to the governor on Primary Health, Mr Sabinus Nwibo, revealed that Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) and C are endemic in the state.
Nwibo added that these particular health conditions were constantly present within the Ikwo and Izzi communities in the state.
He explained that the health conditions are infectious diseases, causing health burdenss due to complications associated with infection, such as cirrhosis and liver cancer.
He said hepatitis B and C are dangerous types of virus diseases, among others. He said that the health conditions, transformed into hepatocellular carcinoma, causedrivercirosis and other damage.
“Governor Francis Nwifuru has approved and funded instruments needed for the sensitisation campaign and screening exercises of the health condition of the 13 LGAs of the state. Today, we flag off the exercise and it will continue simultaneously in all the nooks and crannies of the state.
“Those who tested positive, during the exercise will be taken care of and the negative will be given hepatitis B vaccine for prevention,” Nwibo said.
High points of the events were lectures on the dangers of hepatitis by Dr Lillian Nwobashi and Dr Sabinus Nwibo, who spoke on Tuberculosis, the distribution of motorcycles, relief materials and empowerment, as well as the flag-off of the screening.
