Speaking in light of World Hepatitis Day, commemorated annually on July 28, the State Commissioner for Health, Doctor Adaeze Oreh, cited the National HIV/AIDS Indicator and Impact Survey 2018, which shows that Nigeria bears a significant burden of viral hepatitis, with a prevalence rate of eight point one percent for hepatitis B and one point one percent for hepatitis C, affecting approximately nineteen million people nationwide.
Doctor Oreh highlighted that only one in four people living with hepatitis B have been diagnosed, only one in five are receiving treatment, and only one in six people have been cured of the disease, despite the availability of affordable and accurate tests.
She revealed that eighty percent of liver cases are attributed to hepatitis B and C, which can also be transmitted through unprotected sex, emphasizing the need for preventive measures, including vaccination, testing, and safe sex practices.
The Commissioner noted that the designated center for hepatitis testing and treatment in Rivers State is the Rivers State University Teaching Hospital (RSUTH), and that the state government is expanding access to testing and treatment centers.
Hepatitis is an infection that affects the liver, causing both acute and chronic diseases which can be transmitted through blood and other body fluids, as well as from mother to child during delivery.
World Hepatitis Day is dedicated to raising awareness about the disease and promoting its prevention, diagnosis, and treatment and the theme for this year is, “It is Time for Action, Test, Treat and Vaccinate.
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