Over 20 million Nigerians living with Hepatitis- FG

The federal ministry of Health  at the commemoration of World Hepatitis Day on Thursday  said  over 20 million Nigerians are currently living with Hepatitis,with about 30 percent unaware they are affected and not taking appropriate measures.

Even with the high prevalence of these diseases,health experts said most people infected are unaware and are at risk of developing liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma and also transmitting the infection to other members in the communities.

As a result of this, Isaac Adewole,the Minister of Health at the commemorative event in Abuja  said the Federal Government has keyed in its operational strategies  to the  first global Health Sector Strategy on viral hepatitis for 2016-2021,which was approved during the 69th World Health Assembly in May 2016,which Nigeria is a signatory to.

Represented by Evelyn Ngige, the director of Public Health in the Ministry,the minister informed that  the federal government has set modalities to confront the spread of the viral disease  through prompt establishment of the viral Hepatitis Control Programme in 2013 and development of the first edition of the National Policy for the control of Viral Hepatitis in Nigeria.

“At the just concluded World Health Assembly in May 2016. Nigeria with other World Health Organisation Members States adopted the first ever elimination strategy for Viral Hepatitis,with ambitious targets to eliminate hapatitis as a public health threat by 2030″the Minister explained.

He reassured key health stakeholders that the operationalisation  of the documents will provide the required platform for the attainment of the goal of reducing mortality,morbidity and socio-economic impact of viral hepatitis in Nigeria.

Meanwhile World Health Organisation’s  2013 report, revealed that the viral hepatitis is responsible for 1.44 million annual global deaths,which is comparable to the annual deaths from HIV/AIDS (1.3million),malaria and tuberculosis,(TB),(0.9 million and I.3 million,respectively).

The report  stated further that  240 million persons are chronically infected with Hepatitis B virus adding that  between 130 and 150 million are affected  with hepatitis C globally. It is also estimated that the majority of 95 percent of persons with chronic hepatitits B or C are unaware of their infection globally.

It would be further noted that without appropriate diagnosis and treatment,around one third of those chronically infected with viral hepatitis will
die as a result of severe liver disease,including cirrhosis,liver cell cancer and liver failure.

To address this, Rex Mpazanjer ,the World Health Organisation,WHO,acting country director to Nigeria at the event said the global Health body would work closely with Nigeria to ensure greater awareness is created on the adverse effects of the virus,while urging Nigerians,to also encouraging Nigerians to also check their status to stay safer.