FG Urged To Boost Local Vaccine Production, Expand Hepatitis Screening

A Professor of Medicine, Gastroenterology and Hepatology at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital (UITH), Prof. Abdulfatai Olokoba, has called on the federal government to invest in local vaccine production and expand nationwide hepatitis screening to curb the growing burden of viral hepatitis in Nigeria.

Olokoba said strengthening domestic vaccine manufacturing capacity and scaling up early detection through routine screening would significantly reduce infections, improve access to treatment and help the country achieve global hepatitis elimination targets.

He stressed that increased investment in public health infrastructure, sustained awareness campaigns and improved access to affordable vaccines and treatment are critical to addressing the disease, which continues to pose a major public health challenge.

According to him, local vaccine production would reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imports, lower costs and ensure a more reliable supply of life-saving vaccines, while expanded screening would enable early diagnosis and prompt treatment, thereby preventing complications such as liver cirrhosis and liver cancer.

Olokoba urged governments at all levels, development partners and the private sector to collaborate in strengthening the country’s hepatitis prevention and control programmes, noting that coordinated action is essential to reducing the disease burden and saving lives.