Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has assured of its commitment towards eliminating the viral disease by 2030.
The FCT minister of state, Dr. Ramatu Tijjani Aliyu made the commitment while flagging off activities to mark this year’s World Hepatitis Day in Abuja.
Aliyu said the administration is ready and prepared to align with the World Health Organisation and other critical stakeholders to achieve hepatitis B, C, and D elimination by 2030.
She said that to achieve this, the administration will remain resolute and “working with other critical stakeholders and development partners, to reduce new infections of hepatitis B and C by 90 per cent, reduce hepatitis-related deaths from liver cirrhosis and cancer by 65 per cent, ensure that at least 90 per cent of people with hepatitis B and C viruses are diagnosed; and at least 80 per cent of those eligible receive appropriate treatment.”
The minister in her keynote address also stressed the need to accelerate the fight against viral hepatitis and the importance of testing and treatment for the real people who need it, to preserve its productive demography.
“With the negative impact of the disease resulting in deaths every 30 seconds from a hepatitis-related illness, it is obvious that we have no other option but to immediately act on viral hepatitis. It is also worthy of note to point out that people living with viral hepatitis unaware can’t wait for testing,” she said.
She decried a situation where communities in the FCT particularly those in the hard-to-reach areas, lack access to hepatitis diagnostics, treatment, and preventive interventions.
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