About 19 million Nigerians have hepatitis at the moment, according to Adebobola Bashorun, national coordinator of the National AIDS and STDs Control Programme (NASCP) of the Federal Ministry of Health.
Bashorun made this announcement on Friday in Abuja during a Health Ministry briefing celebrating World Hepatitis Day with the theme “One life, one liver.”
According to the coordinator, less than half of Nigerians are aware of their hepatitis status.
That’s why it’s so important for us to raise awareness and encourage people to get tested. Therefore, he added, “you should also know your own hepatitis status in addition to getting information about hepatitis.”
He claims that hepatitis B vaccination is available for adults and that it is part of the standard immunization regimen for children.
He also revealed that the United States Government has devised a National Strategic Framework for Viral Hepatitis for the years 2022–2026.
According to Olufunso Adebiyi, the Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Health, the lack of knowledge among healthcare providers and the general public contribute to the spread of viral hepatitis, especially hepatitis B and hepatitis C.
According to him, these causes have exacerbated stigma, delayed diagnosis, and increased mortality.
Nigeria’s Country Representative for the World Health Organization, Walter Kazadi Mulombo, recently stated that new approaches were needed to combat viral hepatitis in the country.
Keep in mind that Hepatitis is a condition that leads to liver inflammation or damage.
Hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E are the five subtypes of hepatitis viruses.
Nigeria is among the countries hardest hit. According to the 2018 Nigeria AIDS Indicator and Impact Survey (NAIIS), the country has an estimated population of over 200 million people, with a prevalence rate of 8.1% for hepatitis B and a rate of 1.1% for hepatitis C.
The Nigerian Ministry of Health reported in 2022 that approximately 20 million people were infected with viral hepatitis, citing a lack of education and stigma as the primary causes.
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