Benue records 193 Hepatitis B cases among pregnant women, moves to curb spread
By Peter Duru, Makurdi
The Benue state government has disclosed that 193 pregnant women tested positive for Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) in 2025, raising concerns over the continued burden of viral hepatitis in the state despite ongoing efforts to eliminate the disease.
The Commissioner for Health and Human Services, Dr. Paul Ogwuche, made the disclosure during the commemoration of the 2026 World Hepatitis Day, themed “Hepatitis: Let’s Break It Down.”
He said the state had stepped up surveillance, screening and treatment to reduce infections and prevent mother-to-child transmission.
According to him, 35,508 pregnant women were screened for Hepatitis B in 2025, with 193 confirmed positive, while studies conducted in Benue showed that the prevalence of Hepatitis B stood at eight percent and Hepatitis C at one percent.
He said, “In Benue State in 2025, 35,508 pregnant women were tested for HBV, while 193 were infected. We are also working with the Federal Ministry of Health to provide prophylactic treatment for pregnant women living with HBV in order to eliminate mother-to-child transmission.”
The Commissioner explained that the state had keyed into the Federal Government’s Project 365 initiative, which seeks to eliminate Hepatitis C and halt Hepatitis B transmission by 2030 through expanded screening, diagnosis and treatment services.
He said hepatitis care would be integrated into primary healthcare and maternal health services across the state, while outreach programmes would be conducted in all 23 Local Government Areas, LGA, to increase testing and referrals.
Dr. Ogwuche warned that viral hepatitis remained a major public health challenge in Nigeria, revealing that more than 20 million Nigerians are living with the infection, comprising about 18.2 million cases of Hepatitis B and 2.5 million cases of Hepatitis C.
He lamented that more than 90 percent of infected persons were unaware of their status because the disease often presents symptoms similar to malaria, allowing it to progress undetected to liver cirrhosis, liver failure and liver cancer.
“The scale of this silent epidemic in Nigeria is nothing short of staggering. Over 90 percent of those infected remain undiagnosed and continue to unknowingly transmit the virus to others, including their children,” he said.
The Commissioner also referenced the World Health Organisation’s 2026 Global Hepatitis Report, which estimated that 287 million people globally were living with chronic Hepatitis B or C in 2024, while the two infections caused 1.34 million deaths during the year.
He, however, noted that global progress in vaccination and treatment had reduced new Hepatitis B infections and Hepatitis C-related deaths, stressing that the disease could be eliminated if governments sustained investments in prevention, testing and treatment.
Dr. Ogwuche urged residents of the state to get tested, receive the Hepatitis B vaccine if eligible, and seek prompt treatment where necessary, insisting that achieving the 2030 elimination target would require collective action from government, healthcare workers, development partners, the media and the public.
“The tools to eliminate viral hepatitis already exist. What we need now is commitment to break the barriers that prevent people from accessing testing, vaccination and treatment,” he said.
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