IN Nigeria today, the most dreaded ailments include: malaria, diarrhea and HIV/ AIDS. Though Hepatitis is also a debilitating disease, yet many people are unaware of its effect which makes it exceedingly harmful. It is however very tragic that many people still die from the disease despite the fact that it is preventable with public health efforts and treatment.
Hepatitis is a liver disease caused by the Hepatitis virus which could be easily contracted from a victim through contact of body fluids. This could be either through sexual contact, blood contact or even saliva. If by chance a person consumes the waste passed out from a carrier, the person can also be infected with the disease.
The disease causes the inflammation of the liver, a vital organ that processes nutrients, filters the blood and fights infections. When inflamed or damaged, it’s function is affected. Hepatitis is commonly caused by viral infection but there are other possible causes such as heavy alcohol use, toxins, some medications, and certain medical conditions.
Viral infections of the liver that are classified as hepatitis include hepatitis A, B, C, D and E. A different virus is responsible for each type of virally transmitted hepatitis. The disease if not treated with caution would gradually grow into a more severe state which results in scarring of the liver, abnormal functionality of the liver, and in due time, chronic hepatitis, liver cancer or cirrhosis. Sign and symptoms of acute hepatitis include; fatigue, flu- like symptoms, dark urine, pale stool, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, weight loss, as well as yellow skin and eyes which may be sign of jaundice.
Even though most people are not conscious of the disease, Hepatitis remains a major public health issue in Nigeria, with high rates of infection for Hepatitis B(HBV) and Hepatitis C(HCV). Studies estimate that 11-14 percent of Nigerians are infected with HBV, while the 2018 National AIDS indicator and impact survey reported that 8.1 percent of Nigerians are infected with HBV.
Although guidelines and strategic direction have been developed to guide Nigeria’s response to viral hepatitis, important barriers remain in place, which must be surmounted to reach elimination targets. These include geographical and financial barriers to accessing testing and treatment and the availability of alternative tests and treatment providers that lack connection with the health system and efficacy for treatment outcomes.
The allocation of health care resources, including the health care workforce in Nigeria is skewed towards secondary and tertiary services which are predominantly situated in urban areas. The provision of hepatitis treatment at tertiary level services which are not easily accessible to large numbers of the population also serves as barrier to hepatitis care.
There is also the problem of significant financial barriers which prevents many Nigerians from accessing healthcare services for testing and treatment of hepatitis. Cost of testing and treatment pose serious challenge to accessing viral hepatitis care, as tests, treatments, and vaccines are paid for privately and there is often limited availability of supplies. This challenge is the primary drive towards quackery and unethical practices perpetrated by some organizations and individuals.
To curtail the spread of the disease, we advocate for an intensive awareness campaign to sensitize the people on the dangers of Hepatitis, preventive measures, need for early diagnosis and where to access treatment. Government should de-emphasize the allocation of health care resources and workforce in urban areas as most of the vulnerable people live in the rural areas where there are no secondary and tertiary services. The cost of testing and treatment should also be addressed to make it easy for poor people to access viral hepatitis care.
Notwithstanding the fact that there is no cure for hepatitis once it occurs, there are several antiviral medications available in Nigeria to prolong the lives of sufferers, such as entecavir, tenofovir, and lamivudine. These medications are effective in suppressing the virus, reducing the risk of liver damage and liver cancer, and improving liver function. Most importantly, early diagnosis and long- term treatment can help people with chronic hepatitis to live long lives.
