Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, says a total of 91 million people are living with chronic hepatitis in Africa.
He said there are 82 million people living with chronic hepatitis B while nine million people live with chronic hepatitis C infection.
Represented by the Permanent Secretary, Kachollom Daju, he said the staggering figures are further exacerbated by the fact that only 0.1% of 2% diagnosed with CHB and 0% of 5% diagnosed with CHC received treatment in the year 2020. He said,"Indeed, it is high time Africa nations intensify efforts to increase immunization coverage .With the availability of affordable Directly Acting Anti-viral drugs for curing HCV and Tenofovir for treating HBV, African countries are strategically poised to overcome barriers to treatment however the high cost of treatment which is often paid out-of-pocket continues to create a barrier to assess. It is high time African Nations collaborate to advocate for local production.
The World Health Organization Nigeria Representative, Dr. Walter Kazadi Mulombo, said there was need to include viral hepatitis testing and treatment interventions as an essential package of health services delivered to individuals of all ages.
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