WACHEF Marks World Hepatitis Day 2026 with Symposium, Free Screening and Vaccination in Taraba
By Christiana Babayo
The Women and Children Health Empowerment Foundation (WACHEF) has commemorated the 2026 World Hepatitis Day with a health symposium, free hepatitis screening and vaccination exercise for students of the Department of Public Health, Taraba State Polytechnic, Jalingo, as part of efforts to increase awareness and promote the prevention of viral hepatitis.
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The event, held on Tuesday, July 28, 2026, brought together health professionals, students and public health advocates to educate participants on viral hepatitis, dispel common misconceptions and encourage regular screening and vaccination under the global theme, “Let’s Break It Down.”
Declaring the event open, the Executive Director of WACHEF, Mrs. Beden Mergu Barnabas, conveyed the goodwill of the Chairman of the Foundation’s Board of Trustees, Dr. Garba Danjuma, and reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to improving the health of women, children and vulnerable communities.
She said WACHEF would continue to prioritize preventive healthcare through health promotion, advocacy, capacity building and improved access to quality health services.
“At WACHEF, we believe prevention remains one of the most effective ways to reduce the burden of communicable diseases. Through awareness, education, screening and vaccination, we are empowering communities to make informed health decisions and live healthier lives,” Mrs. Barnabas said.
She further urged participants to become ambassadors of health by sharing accurate information on hepatitis within their communities.
Delivering the keynote address, Dr. Dofwah Kevin presented a paper titled “The Burden of Viral Hepatitis: Highlights of the Global Hepatitis Report 2026, Myths and Misconceptions.” He emphasized that despite significant progress in medical interventions, millions of people remain unaware of their hepatitis status.
According to him, eliminating hepatitis requires greater public awareness and improved access to testing and treatment.
“The greatest challenge is not that hepatitis cannot be prevented or treated; it is that many people do not know they are infected. Early diagnosis saves lives and prevents severe complications. We must break down the barriers to awareness, testing, vaccination and treatment,” he said.
Dr. Kevin encouraged the students, as future public health professionals, to champion hepatitis awareness campaigns wherever they find themselves.
Also speaking, Faiza Abubakar Yaro educated participants on the different modes of transmission of viral hepatitis, including accidental needle-stick injuries, mother-to-child transmission during pregnancy or childbirth, transfusion of unscreened blood, unprotected sexual contact and exposure to infected body fluids.
She stressed that adherence to standard infection prevention measures, routine screening and vaccination remain critical in reducing new infections.
The symposium featured an interactive question-and-answer session during which students sought clarification on hepatitis prevention, diagnosis, treatment and vaccination. Resource persons addressed misconceptions and encouraged participants to adopt healthy lifestyles while taking advantage of available preventive services.
The commemoration climaxed with a free hepatitis screening and vaccination exercise conducted for participants.
Statistics released at the end of the exercise showed that 92 persons were screened 80 participants received hepatitis vaccinations, 11 persons were not vaccinated.One participant tested positive for Hepatitis B and was referred for appropriate medical evaluation and follow-up care.
As part of activities marking the occasion, the Chairman of WACHEF’s Board of Trustees, Dr. Garba Danjuma<span;>, presented an Award of Excellence (Viral Hepatitis Champion), to a staff Salihu Jungudo, in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the Foundation’s Viral Hepatitis Programme over the years.
The award acknowledged his dedication and sustained efforts in supporting hepatitis awareness, prevention and control initiatives aimed at reducing the burden of the disease in communities.
World Hepatitis Day is observed annually on July 28Â to raise global awareness of viral hepatitis and accelerate efforts towards its prevention, diagnosis and treatment as part of the global goal of eliminating hepatitis as a public health threat.
