A consultant Haematologist, Dr Garba Kangiwa, has called for regular hepatitis B screening to enable early treatment.

He made the call in an interview in Birnin Kebbi on Tuesday.

Kangiwa, who is the Head of Heamatology Department, Federal Medical Centre Birnin Kebbi, said cases of hepatitis were becoming rampant in hospitals, especially among prospective blood donors.

He said that FMC Birnin Kebbi had to employ standard procedure of blood screening before transfusion, explained that hepatitis is inflammation of the liver, causing fever, jaundice, abdominal pain and weakness.

He added that diseases like hepatitis B and syphilis were contacted through blood transfusion, sex and use of unsterilised needles.

He advised health facilities to always adhere to international standard of blood transfusion, explaining that rapid blood test may not detect a disease when it was in its window period.

He advocated the use of Enzyme Link Immunosolvent Assay (ELISA) machine, saying the machine was 100 per cent accurate in detecting blood-related diseases.

The consultant also urged hospital authorities to device means of blood security by ensuring availability of blood through stable blood donor drive system.

Dr Kangiwa was the past immediate chairman of the state branch of Nigeria Medical Association