The Yobe State House of Assembly has organised a public hearing on a bill for compulsory premarital genotype and hepatitis screening in the state.

The bill “Compulsory pre-marital haemoglobin genotype and viral hepatitis screening for intending couples in Yobe State and related matters 2025” is aimed at amending the state’s Anti-stigmatisation Law 2014.

Speaking at the occasion in Damaturu on Thursday, the House’s Speaker, Ciroma Mashio, said the bill, when passed into law, would mitigate serious health risks posed by sickle cell and hepatitis diseases in the state.

He said the hearing was held in Gashua, Potiskum and Damaturu as a proactive measure to obtain sufficient inputs from the grassroots to guide the assembly on effective legislation for management and prevention of the diseases.

Mr Mashio commended the House Committee on Health for facilitating the hearing and the Sickle Cell Disease Eradication Initiative (SICKDEI), a community-based organisation (CBO), that initiated the bill.

The speaker also commended Governor Mai Mala Buni for his support of the assembly to facilitate the smooth passage of the bill.

In his remarks, the committee’s chairman, Kachallah Maina, said that the conduct of the hearing outside the House’s chambers was the first of its kind in the history of the assembly.

He urged stakeholders to submit meaningful memoranda, saying the bill was so dear to the assembly and would be passed into law in good time.

SICKDEI Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Aliyu Muhammad, expressed concern that Borno and Yobe states had the highest sickle cell burden in the country.

He said, “According to a 2012 study by the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, Borno and Yobe states have the largest number of sickle cell traits (healthy carriers) in Nigeria, with a prevalence of 27.9 per cent and 32.6 per cent, respectively.’’

Mr Muhammad said the bill, when passed into law, would help in identifying the risk of sickle cell, preventing the transmission of hepatitis to spouses or offspring and enabling couples to make informed decisions.

“Identifying genetics or hepatitis risks allows for early intervention, counselling and preventive measures,” the CEO said.

He listed the objectives of the bill to include empowering the state Ministry of Health to oversee, coordinate and supervise prevention, control and management of HIV, sickle cell and viral hepatitis.

Others were reducing the incidents of sickle cell and hepatitis, promoting public awareness and education on the diseases and improving access to screening and treatment.

Memoranda were received from local government authorities, traditional rulers, religious organisations, civil societies, among others.

(NAN)