By Precious Amadi
The Rivers State Ministry of Health has reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to stepping up the fight against viral hepatitis under the administration of Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Dr. Vincent Wachukwu, gave the assurance in Port Harcourt during events marking this year’s World Hepatitis Day.
Dr. Wachukwu described viral hepatitis as a major global public health challenge, emphasizing that while the disease poses a serious threat, it is preventable through vaccination and highly manageable with timely medical care.
To accelerate progress toward eliminating the disease, the Permanent Secretary called on health stakeholders to partner with the state government to close implementation gaps, improve service delivery, and reactivate the state’s Technical Working Group on Viral Hepatitis.
He also highlighted that the state government is already working to ease the financial burden of healthcare on residents through the Rivers State Contributory Health Protection Programme (RIVCHPP), which continues to expand access to affordable medical services across Rivers State.
