The Nasarawa State House of Assembly has urged the State Government to address health issues as Hepatitis claimed at least 28 lives from October 2023 to date.
This followed a motion sponsored by Musa Abubakar Ibrahim ,NNPP, Doma South, during plenary in Lafia on Monday.
Ibrahim bemoaned the high mortality rate in his constituency, noting that twenty-eight persons had died as a result of Hepatitis from October 2023 to date.
He called on the government, as a matter of urgency, to address the situation and improve healthcare in rural areas where facilities were in poor condition.
“Mr Speaker and my colleagues, there is a serious health problem in my constituency as twenty-eight (28) people have died of hepatitis from October to date.
“Hepatitis is killing my people and something needs to be done to curtail it. I beg that the government should tackle this problem, we should come up with a strong committee to address this issue.
“Go to rural areas and see, our health facilities are in bad shape,” Ibrahim lamented.
Responding to the motion, the House charged the state Ministry of Health to deploy experts to the affected communities to assess the situation and take necessary action.
The Speaker of the House, Hon. Danladi Jatau directed the State Government to declare a state of emergency on hepatitis and other deadly diseases, adding that such a declaration would help in curbing the spread of the disease and improving the health status of the people.
The Speaker further instructed the Clerk of the House to inform the State Governor Abdullahi Sule, of the resolution for necessary action.
Daniel Ogah Ogazi and other lawmakers, who contributed to the motion, identified the need for the government to prioritize the elimination of hepatitis and other deadly diseases in the state, particularly by ensuring access to treatment.
