By Edoamaowo Udeme
As the World Health Organisation (WHO) joins the world to commemorate 2018 World Hepatitis Day, it noted that 323 million people worldwide, are infected with Hepatitis B or C virus, a burden 10 times larger than the HIV epidemic”.
With this year’s theme, “Test. Treat. Hepatitis” aimed at raising awareness to hepatitis B and C virus infections, it calls for the importance of testing and accessing early treatment to avoid untimely deaths.
According to the WHO Representative to Nigeria, Dr Wondimagegnehu Alemu, “Worldwide, there are 323 million people infected with Hepatitis B or C virus, a burden 10 times larger than the HIV epidemic”.
Alemu stressed that “Over 1.4 million people die annually from liver disease caused by untreated infection and this includes two out of every three liver cancer deaths”.
“In Africa, hepatitis B and C is a silent epidemic affecting over 70 million people”.
“Among infected persons, 9 out of every 10 have never been tested because of lack of awareness and poor access to testing and treatment”. He noted
Alemu shared a story of Bari, a 23-year-old who was diagnosed with Hepatitis B infection whose older sister developed yellow eyes and swollen belly, and recently died of liver cancer.
“It was horrifying to discover the cause of her illness was hepatitis B infection”.
” She must have become infected through minor cuts and close contact in childhood. We did not know that the infection could be silent for so long and its consequences so devastating.” He noted
The Regional Director stressed the hope for cure when he noted that “Cost effective medicines are now available to control hepatitis B infection and prevent liver disease”.
“For Hepatitis C, the available medicines can cure the infection in almost all patients within 12 weeks”.
“There is also Hepatitis B vaccine given at birth, together with infant vaccination, that prevents over 95% of new infections”.
WHO also commends Nigeria for having already translated this hope to national reality by having a policy and costed strategic plan to serve as a roadmap for elimination of viral hepatitis in the country.
“I also wish to recognize the country efforts to have hepatitis B and C screening, diagnosis and treatment services more available and more accessible”
“The role played by health care workers, civil society and people living with viral hepatitis in raising awareness and promoting testing and treatment for Hepatitis B and C is also invariably vital towards facilitating people’s positive health seeking behaviour”
Alemu pledged continuous support to Nigeria “to walk the path of making more simplified hepatitis B and C diagnostic and treatment services available, accessible and affordable towards a vision of Africa free of viral hepatitis by 2030 even in absence of a Global Health funding initiative for the disease”.
“Now is the time to Test, the time to Treat, and the time to Cure Hepatitis”. he added
