Low public awareness, major challenge of liver disease- Prof Borodo

Low public awareness of liver disease known as viral hepatitis has been identified as one of the major challenges of prevention and cure of the disease which was said to affect over 20 million people in Nigeria.

This was contained in a paper titled “Burden of Viral hepatitis and the Importance of Screening” presented by Prof Musa Muhammad Borodo of Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital (AKTH), at a sensitization workshop organized by Captain Ismail Yadudu foundation over the weekend in Kano.

Other challenges, as identified by the presenter, were inadequate health personnel and hospital facilities as well as high cost of treatment of the disease. He added that the disease was silent at its early stage, hence the need for early detection through screening.

“The fact that you are tested positive does not mean the end of your world but it can be the beginning of your salvation. I therefore encourage you all to avail yourselves for the screening so as to know your status,” he said.

The annual workshop, which was 10th and 11th combined, according to the chairman of the foundation, Prof Auwalu Yadudu, was taken to Bayero University Kano (BUK) for the benefit of its staff and students as an appreciation of the varsity’s generous contributions and partnership to the foundation since its inception in 2009.

Prof Yadudu said over the years, thousands of people from different communities had benefited from the services of screening, vaccination and consultation from the foundation and the capacity had grown from 250 beneficiaries to over 2000 annually for the last three years.

Earlier in his opening remarks, the Vice Chancellor, Bayero University Kano, Prof Muhammad Yahuza Bello, thanked the foundation for bringing the workshop to the University and promised to do more to ensure the sustainability and growth of the foundation.

At the end of the workshop, over 2000 test kits were provided for free screening to the members of the university community as well as the general public.

The Foundation was established in 2009 in memory and fulfillment of the desire of Capt Ismaila Yadudu who died of the disease in 2008.