Bigbro for Turaki Movement takes Hepatitis awareness campaign to streets of Ilorin

By Ahmed Olayinka

The Bigbro for Turaki Movement has organised a one-hour street sensitisation campaign on hepatitis in Ilorin, Kwara State, as part of efforts to increase public awareness about the disease and encourage early screening and prevention.

The community-focused initiative brought the hepatitis awareness message directly to market traders, passersby, motorists and other road users, who were engaged one-on-one during the sensitisation exercise.

Participants were educated on the dangers of hepatitis, the importance of knowing their health status and the need to support people living with the condition.

Placards carrying hepatitis awareness messages were also used to draw public attention to the campaign.

As part of the outreach, the movement distributed 50 handbills containing different hepatitis-related messages to members of the public, with recipients encouraged to pass the materials on to at least one other person.

According to the organisers, the initiative is aimed at creating wider awareness within the community ahead of an upcoming free hepatitis screening exercise, while also supporting efforts to make hepatitis B vaccination more accessible to members of the public.

The organisers emphasised that taking awareness campaigns directly to the streets would help bridge information gaps and encourage more people to take preventive measures, undergo screening and seek appropriate care where necessary.

The campaign, led by the Bigbro for Turaki Movement, was organised in honour of Distinguished Senator Saliu Mustapha, as part of efforts to support his commitment to the community and extend hepatitis-related interventions to more people.

The movement said the sensitisation represents an important step towards building a better-informed community and encouraging collective action against hepatitis.

The organisers also called on residents to take advantage of the forthcoming free screening and vaccination opportunities, stressing that increased awareness, early detection and prevention remain vital in the fight against hepatitis.