Investigation: How govt neglect Kano Community amidst spread of hepatitis

In this report by SOLACEBASE, Aliyu Inuwa Mansir evaluates the causes and how government neglect is contributing to the monthly rise of Hepatitis B in Kayare LGA, a viral infection that attacks the liver, causing both acute and chronic kidney and liver disease.

“We are aware of the situation, but we have not done anything about it yet, we understand people are dying and it’s spreading so fast, we are going to do something soon,” that was the reaction of Dr. Abubakar Labaran Yusuf the Kano State Commissioner for Health. 

In Karaye LGA of Kano State, Hepatitis B is currently the fastest spreading virus putting rural residents at risk of a deadly health condition.

Karaye is a Local Government Area in Kano State, Nigeria with a population projection of 236,900 in 2022 and accommodates the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) orientation camp in the state.

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Without a precautionary measure, and with the daily increase in a number of patients, residents of Karaye still remain unbothered about the cause of this deadly virus with so much confidence of resorting to taking local herbs when they eventually contract the virus. 

Interestingly, this reporter began his inquiry from some of the health centres and laboratories in Karaye where he spoke with health workers and lab technicians to guide him through while the situation kept getting worse amidst the rising death figures.

Aminu Salihu, is a lab technician of Karaye Emirate Specialist Hospital in Karaye, who also contracted the virus and suffered for months treating himself.

“Working as a medical practitioner exposes one to contracting any type of virus spreading, this is because you will have to come in contact with patients who already contracted the disease.

“It was unfortunate how I was moving for several months without knowing I already contracted the Hepatitis B virus, it became clear when I broke down and had to do some examination, which later revealed I already contracted it.  For about 7 months I was on treatment, it is a clear evidence that I must have contacted this from one of the patients who had come here for a test,” Salihu said.

Describing the wild spread of the virus and the increasing indices, Salisu revealed that records from their lab have shown that they record about 25 patients of Hepatitis B monthly, and you can imagine what record will be across other laboratories,” he added.

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To verify Salihu’s claim, SOLACEBASE visited and took a look at the Serology register of the hospital, and record dated September 2022, shows an increase in the spread of Hepatitis B, with at least 23 cases in a month.

Hepatitis is the inflammation of liver tissue, commonly caused by a virus. There are five groups of Hepatitis, A, B, C, D and E. However, the viral hepatitis with leading concerns are B and C.

Viral Hepatitis B and C affects 325 million people globally and according to medical experts, the disease is also a root cause of liver cancer, leading to 1.34 million global deaths every year.

Hepatitis B or C is regarded as a silent killer, the symptoms that include yellow discolouration of the skin and whiteness of the eyes, poor appetite, vomiting, tiredness, abdominal pain, or diarrhoea are not easily detected in some people.

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Research shows that the most common cause of the disease are hepatitis viruses. It can also be caused by the consumption of excessive alcohol, certain medications, infections, and autoimmune diseases among others.

Aminu Halliru, the Chief Medical Director, Jinde Nursing Care Services another health centre in Karaye, told SOLACEBASE, that the hospital often records many cases of hepatitis B monthly.

“Just recently, we conducted a massive test for 447 persons, and 30 turned out positive, it was so scary for me as a medical professional, ‘’Haliru said.

“We have tried to find out the primary cause of the spread of this virus, and we are yet to understand the cause of the spread, but the primary indication at this point looks like public use of items and poor awareness among the people, hence we are planning to embark on sensitization as a way to help the people as we can’t continue to live with such potential risk,” Halliru said.

Bello Salisu, a resident of Yar Kasuwa community in Karaye LGA narrates to SOLACEBASE how he never knew he had the virus in his body, while he had always thought it was malaria, painfully lamenting how his wife contracted the virus through him.

“At first, I thought it was the usual malaria I kept doing self-medication until an examination revealed it was Hepatitis B. I was so scared because my wife had already contracted, we began taking treatment and till now we are still under treatment living with fear daily,” Bello said.

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“For about a year now I have been sick and undergoing one treatment from another and all the test keep showing I already have a terminal illness, I have visited Gwarzo General Hospital and Murtala Specialist Hospital as well, I pray I recover soon as I am already contemplating on resolving to local herbs,” Bello said

Residents Resolve To Use Local Herbs For Treatment

Dahiru Yunusa, a resident of Unguwar Burga community, after he was told that he had contracted the virus, to console himself, resorted to local herb with the belief that it would cure him.

“This news killed my dream because I applied to the Nigeria Army for enlistment and one of their requirement is a medical examination, it was when I went for the medical examination that I discovered that I have Hepatitis B, and with that result, I couldn’t proceed for my screening again so i had to return home.

“It will require me to pull out resources to receive good treatment, so I believe the combination of herbs given to me as a cure, and I have been taking it dedicatedly for the past one year now and am still alive,” Yunusa explained.

Muhammadu Birga after taking the drugs which he believes is the reason why he is still alive, he is now a vendor of the drug now selling to other patients.

“Sometimes I know that hospital drugs are effective, but growing up, I have always believed in local herbs as a cure to most illnesses, especially this type. My dad once used this medicine while my mom was sick, and it helped her before she died because it was just time for her to die, and it was even cost-effective for my dad.

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Abdullmalik Sanim village head of Unguwar Kofar Fada, formerly known as Unguwar Kofar Shitu, had also suffered from the virus and still taking treatment, while he confirmed to SOLACEBASE that they have been living with this disease spreading across the community for many years now without any attention from the government to support us on the treatment. He then urged the government to make available the vaccines needed to keep them safe from this health threat.

“It all started like a joke that I would fall sick and recover, sometimes I would be so weak and have a total loss of appetite of what to eat, It was my visit to my son in Kano that they took me to the hospital and then i was diagnosed of the disease.

“Since I am still alive, I have been so dedicated and committed to taking all the drugs they buy for me, but its sad as it appears that I am living my whole life consuming different drugs just to stay alive. How I contracted it, I honestly can’t tell, I feel it will be around the village,” Sanim said.

“It is the responsibility of the government to ensure the vaccine is made available across the PHCs in the LGA, and also engage residents in serious awareness,” he added.

Expert Calls For Sensitization and Community Advocacy

Professor Muktar Gadanya, with the Department of Community Medicine, Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital, AKTH, described Hepatitis B, and C as a deadly virus which requires urgent medical care by a patient.

“Viral Hepatitis are viral infection which has predilection and damages the liver, and there is a range of hepatitis viruses from A, B, C, and H. But the common among them is hepatitis B, C and, they are known because they are most linked to the cause of chronic liver diseases and liver cancer,” Gadanya said.

“The symptoms are like that of other sicknesses and we mistake them and some even begin self-medication for malaria. Hepatitis is deadly and it gradually damages some internal organs like the liver and kidney, most people who do not survive it are patients whom it has affected badly and only require some surgeries, often times, they hardly survive it.

Gadanya explained that the consumption of local herbs can only worsen ones condition as it is recommended that a patient must see an expert for consultation and then treatment, but in rural communities they can only go for what they can afford which ignorantly, contributes to the rise in the death figure of victims. 

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Kano State Government is Aware But Failed To Respond

Kano State Commissioner for Health, Dr Abubakar Labaran Yusuf confirmed to SOLACEBASE that the state government is fully aware of the challenge but did not state measures set aside to help combat the spread of the deadly virus.

“Our attention has been drawn to this several times, and we are fully aware of the situation, we are still setting out plans to use in combating the situation. We understand a lot of persons have contracted the virus while many have also died from the virus.

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“In no distance time, we will flag off a campaign on that and the government will make available the necessary medications and vaccines needed to help fight this disease in Karaye and across the state,” Yusuf said.

This SOLACEBASE publication is produced with support from the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) under the collaborative Media Engagement for Development, Inclusion, and Accountability Project (CMEDIA) funded by the MacArthur Foundation.