Dr Olusegun Obateru, a Consultant Gastroenterologist at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Lokoja, has urged the Federal Government to raise awareness to eliminate viral Hepatitis as a public health threat.
The consultant spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Lokoja on the sidelines of this year’s World Hepatitis Day celebration.
Obateru said that the call was necessary to educate the public on the need to completely eliminate Hepatitis from the society by 2030 in line with the projection of the World Health Organisation (WHO).
He said that the Federal Government should take the necessary action to eliminate viral Hepatitis through sensitisation, prevention programmes, test and easy access to treatment.
“I personally want the government to assist Hepatitis patients to subsidise drugs and treatment as is being done for HIV patients.
“Lots of our patients cannot afford or sustain the cost of drugs and treatment of Hepatitis B and C, because it takes long duration to be treated.
“From study, it shows that treatment could take a minimum of three to five years and most patients may not be able to sustain it.
“We want government to subsidise those drugs because it would go a long way to reduce the transmission and prevalence of viral Hepatitis.”
The expert defined hepatitis as the inflammation or swelling of the liver caused by viral infections such as Hepatitis A, B, C, D and E.
“Viral infections that are most significant to us due to their life-threatening conditions to the liver are the Hepatitis B and C.
“Hepatitis B and C can easily result to liver cancer and cirrhosis of the liver if not quickly treated, unlike the A and E which are acute infections that could be cleared without treatment.”
He explained further that A and E could be contacted by intake of contaminated food and water, while B and C are transmitted through sexual intercourse, blood transfusion, mother to child or breastfeeding, use of contaminated instrument etc.
He said the best way to prevent Hepatitis was through public education and sensitisation, adding: “prevention is better and cheaper than cure.”
“It can also be prevented through proper screening of blood before transfusion, vaccination, early evaluation of pregnant women and timely passive immunisation of a new-born baby.
“Hepatitis C has no vaccination yet, that is why the patients should be treated immediately it is discovered, to prevent transmission,” Obateru explained.
NAN reports that World Hepatitis Day is marked every July 28, to raise awareness about viral Hepatitis, and to call for access to treatment, better prevention programmes and government action.
WHO targets to eliminate Hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030.