An NGO, Beacon Youths Initiative (BYI), has organised free hepatitis test for 1,000 people in Nasarawa State.

Its Executive Director, Envoh Okolo, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), on Sunday at Dudun-Gwandara, a rural community in Lafia, that the test would afford the people the opportunity to know their status.

“We want people to know their status; those who tested negative would be vaccinated to check the spread of the disease,” he said

Okolo attributed the increasing rate of hepatitis to low awareness, low funding for hepatitis programmes and stigmatisation of infected persons.

He expressed his organisation’s commitment to improving the quality of life of those infected with the disease through regular tests, counseling, sensitisation and vaccination.

The executive director said that the NGO had offered free tests and vaccines to more than 6,000 people in the state, saying that the outreaches were its modest contributions toward addressing health challenges among the poor.

“It is our belief that this intervention will assist the people to know their status and take precautionary measures to avert escalating their health conditions,” he added.

Okolo said that the organisation was bringing healthcare closer to the people, especially those at the grassroots, and called on members of the public to go for regular check-ups to know their status early enough.

Cecilia Akawu and Hadiza Ahmed, who spoke on behalf of other beneficiaries, expressed gratitude to the NGO for giving them the opportunity to know their status.