Hussaini Kafi in Kano
Kano State Government has launched a landmark intervention aimed at eliminating mother-to-child transmission of Hepatitis B, making it the first Nigerian state to implement the Triple Elimination strategy for HIV, Hepatitis, and Syphilis among pregnant women.
Speaking during a press briefing to mark the 2025 World Hepatitis Day in Kano on Monday, Commissioner for Health, Dr Abubakar Labaran Yusuf, said the government had released ₦95 million for the procurement of rapid test kits and Tenofovir Disoproxil Fumarate (TDF), a key drug for preventing Hepatitis B transmission during pregnancy.
The Commissioner revealed that ₦135 million is awaiting approval to further scale the programme, noting that over 1.2 million people are estimated to be living with Hepatitis B in the state based on recent facility data, mirroring national prevalence trends.
“This intervention, ‘HepFree Mothers, Healthy Babies,’ launched in February this year, provides free screening and treatment for pregnant women in seven major hospitals across the state,” Yusuf said. “These include Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, Murtala Mohammed Specialist Hospital, Muhammad Wase Teaching Hospital, and general hospitals in Gaya, Bichi, Wudil, and Kano State Specialist Hospital.”
He added that health workers have also been deployed to labour wards to administer free hepatitis vaccines to newborns, a move aimed at reducing mother-to-child transmission, which accounts for up to 80% of infections.
“Hepatitis B and C remain major public health challenges in Nigeria. They are preventable and treatable, yet often undiagnosed until it’s too late,” he said.
Yusuf noted that all blood transfusion centres in public and private hospitals across the state now screen blood for hepatitis as standard practice.
The initiative is being implemented with support from the Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) and other technical partners, aligning with the global 2030 target for hepatitis elimination.
As part of its long-term commitment, the state government pledged to expand the intervention across all 44 local government areas, integrate hepatitis services into maternal and child health programmes, and advocate increased domestic funding.
Dr Yusuf called on development partners, the private sector, and the media to support the state through funding, advocacy, and public awareness.
“With collective effort, we can eliminate viral hepatitis as a public health threat in Kano and across Nigeria,” he said.
World Hepatitis Day is marked annually on July 28 to raise awareness and drive action against the global hepatitis epidemic.
