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By Asma’u Ahmad
The World Health Organisation (WHO) said approximately 325 million people are living with either hepatitis B virus infection (HBV) or hepatitis C virus infection (HCV) globally.
WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr Matshidiso Moeti, in a message to mark “World Hepatitis Day 2017’’ in Abuja on Friday, said 70 million of these people were living in African region. She called for a global response to address viral hepatitis and achieve total elimination of the disease by 2030.
According to Dr Moeti, the first Global Hepatitis Report, produced by WHO in 2017, estimates that the disease caused more than 136,000 deaths in the region in 2015 alone.
Dr Matshidiso Moeti
She further said that unfortunately, most people with chronic viral hepatitis were not aware of their status and very few people could access testing and treatment in the region.
Dr Moeti said the report also showed that only nine per cent of HBV infected people and 20 per cent of HCV infected people had been tested and diagnosed.
The African regional director said out of those diagnosed with HBV infection, eight per cent was on treatment while seven per cent of those diagnosed with HCV infection started treatment in 2015.
She said: “Five viruses are responsible for most cases of viral hepatitis which is an inflammation of the liver due to a viral infection. These are the hepatitis A virus (HAV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), Hepatitis C virus (HCV), hepatitis D virus (HDV) and hepatitis E virus (HEV).
“All the viruses can cause acute hepatitis, but only HBV and HCV frequently cause chronic hepatitis which can lead to scarring of the liver (cirrhosis) and primary liver cancer.
“The HBV and HCV cause 96 per cent of deaths from viral hepatitis around the world. The epidemic caused by HBV affects mostly the African and Western Pacific regions. It is possible to eliminate viral hepatitis. The widespread use of hepatitis B vaccine in infants has considerably reduced the incidence of new chronic HBV infections.
“Other measures include prevention of mother-to-child transmission of hepatitis B which includes the birth dose vaccination, safe blood supplies and improving injection safety in healthcare settings. She said ensuring high level of sanitation, access to safe food and water were also effective interventions for preventing and controlling epidemics of hepatitis A virus and hepatitis E virus.
Moeti urged member states to strengthen their national programmes by introducing hepatitis services through a public health approach and rapidly scale up testing and treatment services to benefit all. She called on the general public to get information about viral hepatitis, seek testing for viral hepatitis and learn if they need treatment.
Moeti also called on international partners, civil society organisations and the private sector to support the regional hepatitis response. She pledged WHO’s continued support to member states to help implement the hepatitis strategy in order to eliminate hepatitis as a public health problem in the region.
Moeti said by working together, WHO and member states could achieve the goal of eliminating viral hepatitis by 2030. Media men reports that the theme for this year’s World Hepatitis Day celebration is: “Eliminate Hepatitis”. The theme calls on countries and communities to accelerate progress toward achieving the goal of eliminating viral hepatitis as a public health problem by 2030.
