By Gabriel Due
Hepatitis though a major public health concern, is one of the most neglected diseases in Africa. Knowledge and information gaps, with limited access to healthcare services have impacted the rate of infection and deaths within the region. According to the World Health Organization, more than 70 million Africans suffer from hepatitis B and C.
Global efforts at reducing the prevalence of hepatitis have markedly increased in the last decade. However, about 300 million people were infected with viral hepatitis and more than 3600 deaths were recorded daily due to viral hepatitis-related diseases, in 2022.
Strengthening global collaboration on disease prevention and treatment is essential to reducing the global burden of hepatitis. Regional frameworks that meet the peculiar needs of each continent must be developed to address critical challenges such as resource mobilization. Meanwhile national and sub-national governments should prioritize investments in primary healthcare management.
Interestingly, some student associations are at the frontline with the stakeholders leading the campaign against hepatitis. Worthy of note is the Standing Committee on Public Health (SCOPH) under the Nigerian Medical Students Association (NiMSA).
SCOPH and HealthDrive Nigeria are organizing a nationwide hepatitis screening and sensitization outreach across the 36 states of Nigeria from July 26 to July 28, 2025.
This initiative, tagged “Screen and Shield 2025” is supported by the New England BioLabs, the MRL Foundation, and The Campus Lifestyle. This project aims at promoting awareness on viral hepatitis, assessing the level of hepatitis B infection among the Nigerian population, and identifying the risk factors that predispose individuals to this infection.
SCOPH will leverage its extensive network of medical students across the entire states of the country to achieve this vision. Each participating Medical Student Association (MSA) has a Local Officer to SCOPH, appointed by the National Director of SCOPH, who will coordinate activities for the outreach in their states. Those to support with the screening and sensitization are volunteers who have been properly trained for this role.
This project is not only of benefit to the larger society, but also to medical students. By volunteering to participate in this outreach, medical students have the opportunity to improve on their advocacy skills, gain hands-on-experience, and contribute to community health. The volunteer training also equips the medical student with an in-depth knowledge on hepatitis which can be useful during medical examinations.
SCOPH is open to all medical students studying in Nigeria – who are registered with the Nigerian Medical Students Association. Currently, NiMSA boasts of more than 45,000 members. This represents the national strength of the Standing Committee on Public Health.
•Gabriel Due, National Director of the Standing Committee on Public Health (SCOPH) of NIMSA and 500 level medical student writes from Benue State University, Makurdi via email.