Gov Ishaku Signs MoU With Roche For Hepatitis Treatment

The Taraba State government has signed a five years memorandum of understanding with Roche Pharmaceutical limited to provide high quality drugs and provide free treatment for hepatitis patients in the state. Briefing journalists yesterday in Jalingo, the state commissioner for health, Innocent Vakai said over 50, 000 Tarabans are to benefit from free screening for hepatitis B and C.He stressed that viral hepatitis is a very common cause of illness and deaths in Nigeria, adding that the prevalence of the diseases in Nigeria is about 11% for hepatitis B and 2% for hepatitis C. He informed that local studies in Taraba State indicated that the prevalence of hepatitis could be more higher, as high as 40% for hepatitis B in some parts of the state.An in treated individual with the disease risk transmitting the disease to other persons through unprotected sex, blood transfusion and the sharing of needles for injections or other sharp objects.Mother to child transmission has also been well documented, untreated viral hepatitis leads to liver failure cancer and eventually death he said. According to the commissioner, it is envisage approximately 40, 000 of persons screened will be negative for the hepatitis B and will be required to be vaccinated
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