World Hepatitis Day: How Cerba Lancet Took Testing, Education, and Hope to the Streets of Mushin

In commemoration of World Hepatitis Day, leading pathology company Cerba Lancet took its campaign off hospital grounds and into the heart of Mushin, offering free tests, health education, and referrals to hundreds of residents. The goal was simple: meet people where they are, break the silence around Hepatitis B, and give a community the tools to protect itself. Writes MARY NNAH

The plastic chairs were already full by 7:15 am. Outside the multi-purpose hall of Mushin Local Government, a line snaked down to the gate. Traders in wrappers, okada riders, students in uniform, and elderly men with walking sticks. All of them had come for one thing: to know.

On Friday, August 7, 2026, Cerba Lancet, one of Nigeria’s leading pathology companies, turned the council hall into a clinic for a day.

In partnership with Mushin LGA, they held a public enlightenment and free screening drive to mark World Hepatitis Day,  observed globally on July 28.

For many in the crowd, it was the first time they had ever heard “Hepatitis B” said outside of a hospital.

We started here. We cannot forget this.

Inside, nurses moved quickly. Registration. Blood pressure. Weight. Random blood sugar. Then the Hepatitis B test.

Dr. Olayemi Dawodu, MD/CEO of Cerba Lancet, stood near the testing bay, greeting people in Yoruba and English.

“What we are doing today is not just about giving results,” she said. “It’s about dignity. It’s about telling someone: this is your status, this is what it means, and this is where you can get help.” 

She explained the company decided to come to Mushin for two reasons: proximity and history.

“This is where Cerba Lancet started. And we are just minutes from LUTH. If someone tests positive today, we can refer them immediately to a secondary facility for proper management. We are also giving palliatives – food and drugs – to those we can support.”

The company had budgeted for 200 people. 247 showed up.

A “Silent Killer” Hiding in Plain Sight

Temitope Ambrose, Head of Business Development, said the delay from the global July 28 date was intentional.

“We wanted to do it right, not rush it. When the council chairman, Hon. Tunbosun Haruna Aruwe, said yes, we knew Mushin was ready.”

He walked through the hall pointing to different stations. “Look, we are not just doing Hepatitis. People need to know their BP, their sugar. But Hepatitis B is the one we don’t talk about. Unlike HIV or COVID, there is no daily news about it. Yet it kills.”

He explained it simply for the crowd: Hepatitis B spreads through infected blood, unprotected sex, sharing needles, and unclean tools for piercings and tattoos. If left undetected, it can cause chronic liver damage and liver cancer.

“And there is a vaccine,” he kept repeating into the microphone. “If you have taken it, you are covered. If you haven’t, go take it. But first, test.”

He also addressed Hepatitis C. “People think they are the same. They are not. But they spread the same way. And you can have C without knowing you had B first. That is why screening matters.”

Health Is Our Number One Priority

The council turned out in full. Hon. Semiu Ishola Karaole, Vice Chairman and supervisor for health, said the chairman assigned him health because “that’s where the people feel government most.”

“In Mushin, we run monthly health programmes. We have seven primary health centres and four functional ambulances. When Cerba Lancet called, we didn’t think twice. Our people deserve this,”  he said.

Dr. Odufuwa Kayode, the council’s Medical Officer, called Hepatitis B “a silent killer.” “When it becomes chronic, it causes liver inflammation. The liver is the engine of the body.  Once it is weak, other organs follow. That is why early screening is key.”

He commended the Lagos State Government for investing in screening and treatment programmes.

“The goal is simple: catch it early so the body’s antibodies can fight it.”

Voices from the Line

Mama Risikat Adebayo, 52, sells tomatoes at Mushin Market. She came with her two daughters.

“I’ve been having stomach pain and tiredness for months. I thought it was typhoid or malaria,” she said, clutching her result slip. “Now I know. If I’m okay, I’ll thank God. If not, at least I know where to go.”

A 24-year-old barber, Tunde, came because of a friend. “My guy died last year. Doctors said liver problem. Nobody said Hepatitis. Today I came to check so it won’t be me.”

Many asked the same question: “Will you come back?” “Please come every three months,” one woman pleaded. “Not just Mushin. Go to all the LCDAs too.”

Beyond the Test

By 2 pm, the hall was quieter. Volunteers were packing, but doctors were still counseling those with positive results, writing referral notes to LUTH and other secondary facilities.

Dr. Dawodu said the bigger fight is education. “We need to do advocacy in Pidgin, Yoruba, Igbo, Hausa. In the market, in churches, in schools. If people understand how it spreads, we can prevent a whole generation from getting infected.”For Cerba Lancet, the day was also a reminder of purpose.

“We are a lab company,” Ambrose said. “But labs don’t mean anything if the person never walks in the door. So we brought the lab to the people.”

As residents left with bags of refreshments, fliers, and in some cases, hope, one message was clear: knowing is the first step to living.

Why Knowing Matters

Hepatitis B spreads quietly through infected blood, unprotected sex, shared needles, and unsterile piercing or tattoo tools, and in its early stages it often shows no symptoms at all until fatigue, body pain, or jaundice sets in. Left unchecked, it can lead to chronic liver damage and liver cancer, but the good news is that a safe and effective vaccine exists, and early testing can make all the difference. With more awareness, community education in local languages, and regular screening, thousands of Nigerians can avoid infection or get treatment in time, turning what is often called a silent killer into a condition that can be managed and prevented.