Taraba, firm plan N1.3b scheme to tackle hepatitis

The Taraba government has entered into
partnership with pharmaceutical company, Roche,
to combat hepatitis. The state has the highest
prevalence rate of the disease in Nigeria.
Under the deal, Roche will provide drugs for
treatment of infected individuals at 50 per cent the
actual cost. The company will also provide
equipment for testing of viral load of infected
persons.
With signing of the agreement, about 50,000 citizens
of the states would benefit from free screening for
both hepatitis B and C.
The government has “agreed to provide the
required N1,325,000,000 needed to fund the project
over the next five years,
” said Commissioner of
Health, Innocent Vakkai.
Roche General Manager (Sub-Saharan Africa),
Markus Gemuend, said the alarming prevalence of
the disease in the state, necessitated the
partnership.
He named Kenya, Gabon, and Ivory Coast as
countries that have also benefited from the
company’s gesture, urging people of the state to
avail themselves to the opportunity.