By Princess-Ekwi Ajide, Abuja
Reports say over 20 million Nigerians are infected with hepatitis B or C owing to little or no awareness about the infection as it is usually spread by unsafe sexual behaviors and injection practices, unsafe blood transfusion, harmful conduct, and mother-to-child transmission
On this backdrop, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has vowed to partner the Federal Government of Nigeria in the fight against the deadly hepatitis epidemic.
WHO’s Country Representative, Dr. Walter Mulombo, who disclosed this at the flag-off of this year’s World Hepatitis Day, with the theme “Bringing Hepatitis Care Closer To You” In Abuja, noted that Nigeria with its highest burden of viral hepatitis with a national hepatitis B (HBV) and C (HCV) prevalence rate of 8.1% and 1.1% percent respectively
amongst adults, aged between 15 and 64 years, collaboration is key, particularly with the high cost of treatment and out-of-pocket payment by citizens.
Dr. Mulombo noted that the fight against the epidemic can only be realized if all partners in the country are more committed to the fight, noting that Nigeria is contributing to the global achievement of reducing hepatitis B infection in children.
In his speech, the Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, cautioned the populace on the public health threat of viral hepatitis B and C, saying that the country is aiming at partnering with private sectors to begin hepatitis vaccine production to eradicate morbidity and mortality rates for universal health coverage.
He noted that by the end of next month, partners are to start working on a new mRNA vaccine collaboration on producing routine vaccines which are called the traditional vaccines.
The Minister expressed joy that Nigeria is one of the first countries to have achieved the feat in a short time, adding that the core pillars identified for attaining the 2030 target include infant vaccination, prevention of mother-to-child intervention, blood and injection safety, harm reduction, diagnosis, and treatment.
It is worthy of note that since 2005, Nigeria has contributed its quota to global efforts at reducing hepatitis B infection by routinely screening all donated and transfused blood and blood products for HBV and HCV and has institutionalized injection safety and universal precaution since 2007.
