Nigeria's hepatitis B screening gap could close with $1 bundled HIV/syphilis test
Premium Times reports a new $1 testing bundle combining HIV/syphilis and hepatitis B rapid tests could boost antenatal screening in Nigeria, where only 12.3% of pregnant women get hepatitis B checks despite 72% attending antenatal care (2026 NDHS data). The Triple Elimination Testing Bundle from Premier Medical Corporation and Impact Nexus Africa uses WHO-prequalified tests: one card for HIV/syphilis, another for hepatitis B surface antigen, sold together at $1 ex-works (excluding freight/distribution). Minimum order is 100,000 bundles.
For Nigeria, this addresses a critical gap—earlier data showed just 7.2% of 2.8 million pregnant women in PMTCT facilities received hepatitis B screening. The Federal Ministry of Health planned free hepatitis B testing/treatment for positives in 2025, making this low-cost option timely. The bundle leverages existing antenatal care systems without new infrastructure.
Modeling suggests the package could save $215 million in commodity costs across 74 low/middle-income countries by 2035, with Nigeria as a high-volume market. Actual savings depend on local procurement prices and implementation scale. Health impact projections estimate identifying hepatitis B in 17.1 million pregnancies and averting 2.7 million infant infections regionally by 2035, contingent on screening uptake and linkage to care.
Would you request this combined test during your next antenatal visit, or advocate for its adoption at your healthcare facility to close Nigeria's hepatitis B screening gap?