Medical students at Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto (UDUS) have earned recognition for leading a community-driven hepatitis awareness and screening campaign aimed at improving public health and promoting early detection of the disease among young Nigerians.
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The initiative, organised by the Usmanu Danfodiyo University Medical Students Association (UDUMSA), coincided with activities marking World Hepatitis Day 2026 and highlighted the growing role of students in advancing preventive healthcare.
The outreach formed part of the association’s annual Health Week programme, during which medical students extend healthcare services beyond the university campus to underserved communities. This year’s edition focused on hepatitis awareness, targeting students with health education, free screenings and preventive healthcare services.
Speaking on the initiative, President of UDUMSA, Abubakar Abdullahi Ibrahim, said many young people have little knowledge of hepatitis despite the disease posing a serious public health threat. He explained that the campaign sought to educate participants on the causes, prevention and treatment of hepatitis while encouraging regular health checks and vaccination.
During the exercise, 135 students received free hepatitis screening, blood pressure checks, blood group and genotype tests. Participants were also counselled on disease prevention and encouraged to undergo confirmatory tests where necessary. Free hepatitis vaccination information was provided, while beneficiaries were advised on healthy lifestyle practices to reduce their risk of infection.
The programme also featured a voluntary blood donation drive, through which 36 units of blood were donated to support emergency healthcare services. According to the organisers, the blood donation exercise complemented the screening programme by contributing to the blood supply available for patients requiring urgent transfusions.
Chairperson of the outreach committee, Muizat Abubakar, described the campaign as an opportunity to promote preventive healthcare among students, noting that many participants were learning about hepatitis and the importance of early diagnosis for the first time. She added that the initiative was organised in collaboration with the Usmanu Danfodiyo University Teaching Hospital (UDUTH) and the Sokoto State Ministry of Health, whose support made the free screenings possible.
Participants praised the initiative for making healthcare services easily accessible. Several students said the outreach encouraged them to become more conscious of their health and inspired them to undergo routine medical check-ups. Others described the blood donation campaign as an eye-opening experience that demonstrated how simple acts of service could save lives.
Head of the Department of Haematology and Blood Transfusion at UDUTH, Prof. Abubakar Umar Musa, commended the students for applying their classroom knowledge to address real-life health challenges. He explained that the teaching hospital provided technical support, medical equipment and professional supervision throughout the programme, while encouraging similar student-led public health initiatives across the country.
According to health experts, Nigeria has one of the highest burdens of viral hepatitis globally, making awareness, early diagnosis and vaccination critical to reducing infections and preventing liver-related complications. The organisers expressed hope that the success of the outreach would inspire more student-led health interventions capable of improving healthcare access and promoting healthier communities.
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