Hepatitis: FCTA To Screen All Food Handlers

The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) is set to roll out a mandatory hepatitis screening programme for all food handlers operating within the FCT.

FCT Minister, Dr. Nyesom Wike, who made this known in his message to mark the 2025 World Hepatitis Day in Abuja, said the initiative is aimed at protecting public health and ensuring food safety.

The Mandate Secretary of the Health Services and Environment Secretariat, Dr. Adedolapo Fasawe, who delivered Dr. Wike’s message, stated that all individuals working in restaurants, markets, bakeries, canteens, and other food-related businesses would be screened.

Describing the campaign as a strategic public health intervention that could serve as a national model, the FCT Minister highlighted the urgent need to combat the silent yet deadly spread of hepatitis viruses in food environments.

“Food handlers are frontline defenders of public health, yet they remain one of the most neglected groups in our healthcare response,” Wike stated. “We are now correcting that oversight with action—not just awareness.”

She explained that the FCTA is leveraging a robust Public-Private Partnership (PPP) framework to ensure the sustainability and effectiveness of the programme.

According to her, the screening initiative targets Hepatitis A and E, which are transmitted through contaminated food and water, as well as Hepatitis B and C, which are spread via blood and body fluids, which all pose serious risks in unsanitary food-handling environments.

Dr Fasawe said the key components of the programme include:

Regular and mandatory screening for Hepatitis B and C for all food handlers,

Free Hepatitis B vaccinations at public health facilities,

Enforcement of food safety licensing and hygiene training, with hepatitis education made a core part of the curriculum,

Strict medical screening regulations for food vendors, and

Public awareness campaigns to combat the stigma associated with hepatitis.

The FCTA emphasized that the programme is not just about disease control, but also about restoring confidence in Abuja’s food industry.

“This is more than a health initiative; it is a revolution in public safety, food industry credibility, and policy implementation,” said Dr. Fasawe. “We are drawing the line. Hygiene cannot wait. Screening cannot wait. Action cannot wait.”

The administration is calling on all stakeholders—government agencies, private enterprises, food industry players, and healthcare professionals—to rally behind the campaign and help make Abuja a gold standard for food safety and public health leadership in Nigeria.

Remi Johnson, Edited By Grace Namiji