Health
Group Screens Over 300 Beneficiaries For Hepatitis, HIV At Kwara Orphanages
By Fatima Mohammed-Lawal
The Advocates for Orphaned Children (AOC) on Saturday screened no fewer than 300 beneficiaries for Hepatitis and HIV/AIDS across orphanages in Kwara.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the free medical exercise was held at City of Refuge Orphanage Home, the Islamic Orphanage Home and Takasko Life Care Initiative in Ilorin.
Speaking on the sidelines of the exercise, the Executive Director of AOC, Dr Emmanuel Babalola, explained that the screening is a two-day programme across selected orphanages in the state.
He explained that children and care givers were tested for HIV and Hepatitis, adding that only two results were reactive.
According to him, the initiative aims to ensure that every child has access to good health.
“Today is not just another event. It is a statement that every child matters and deserves good health and an opportunity to thrive,” he said.
Babalola commended the Kwara Government for the support towards the initiative and life saving intervention for the orphanages.
The Desk Officer of Kwara Viral Hepatitis B, Mrs Bilqees Alaya, noted that the state government has equipped health facilities to prevent Hepatitis.
Alaya said some facilities have been equipped to offer prophylaxis to pregnant women who have tested positive to viral Hepatitis from third trimester till the delivery of the baby.
She explained that it was part of safety measures to prevent mothers from having a child that tested positive to Hepatitis B.
She warned against the dangers associated with the viral infection, saying it could dwell within the body system of a potential victim, especially an adult for more than two decades without any symptoms.
Alaya noted that sizeable number of children are susceptible to the virus, resulting to liver cirrhosis and liver cancer.
She applauded the organisers and partners for bringing educational assessment and essential health services closer to children who needed them.
Stakeholders at the screening of children at Kwara orphanages.
Also speaking, the Kwara Commissioner for Social Development, Dr Mariam Imam, identified education and good health as fundamental pillars of a child’s development.
She observed that the free screening demonstrated a commendable commitment to addressing both.
Imam, who was represented by the Director of Social Welfare of the ministry, Alhaji Amusat Fatai, said that children deserved the opportunity to learn, grow and live a healthy and fulfilling life, irrespective of their backgrounds or circumstances.
“The initiative would contribute meaningfully to building healthier, better-prepared and more confident children through identification of their learning needs and promotion of early detection of health challenges,” she said.
In her remarks, Mrs Munirat Akanbi-Bello, the Chairman of the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Kwara Chapter, stressed the need to educate the citizens on ways to contain HIV and other viral infections.
She also emphasised on regular screening for early detection, while also urging residents to be conscious of the prevalence of viral diseases in the society.(NAN)(www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Yetunde Fatungase
