The Federal Government has launched Project 365, a year-round nationwide campaign aimed at eliminating hepatitis in Nigeria through mass screening, diagnosis, and treatment.
The initiative was unveiled by the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, during a ministerial press briefing in Abuja to mark World Hepatitis Day 2025, themed “Hepatitis: Let’s Break It Down.”
Prof. Pate described viral hepatitis as a “silent epidemic,” affecting over 20 million Nigerians—18.2 million with Hepatitis B and 2.5 million with Hepatitis C. He warned that despite available vaccines and treatment, more than 90% of infected individuals remain undiagnosed, fueling continued transmission, particularly from mother to child.
“Many early symptoms, like fever and fatigue, are misdiagnosed as malaria, allowing the virus to quietly damage the liver and, in severe cases, lead to cancer or liver failure,” he explained.
Data from the ministry shows that 4,252 Nigerians die annually from liver cancer linked to untreated hepatitis infections.
Prof. Pate also highlighted the economic toll of the disease, estimating that Nigeria loses between ₦13.3 trillion and ₦17.9 trillion each year due to the direct and indirect costs associated with viral hepatitis.
In response, the government has set an ambitious target: eliminate Hepatitis C and interrupt the transmission of Hepatitis B by 2030. Project 365 will also align with existing programs aimed at preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV, hepatitis, and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
“We must reject the status of being the country with the third-highest hepatitis burden globally,” Prof. Pate said. “The tools are available. The strategy is clear. Now we must act—decisively, urgently, and together.”
