Desmond Iwuchukwu
The Rivers State Government has asked Rivers people to avail themselves of the services of the State-owned Hospitals and Primary Healthcare Facilities to treat Hepatitis.
The Deputy Governor of Rivers State Dr. Ipalibo Harry Banigo stated this in her goodwill message in commemoration of the 2022 World Hepatitis Day.
World Hepatitis Day is observed each year on 28 July to raise awareness of viral hepatitis, which causes inflammation of the liver that leads to severe disease and liver cancer.
The Deputy Governor, who described Hepatitis as a deadly killer disease responsible for millions of deaths annually in Nigeria, disclosed that the World Health Organization (WHO) has classified Hepatitis as an inflammation of the liver that can cause a range of health problems and can be fatal; stressing that there are five (5) main types of hepatitis virus, which are A, B, C, D, and E.
According to the Harvard-trained, Public Health Physician and Chairman of the State Taskforce on Immunization and Primary Health Care, Hepatitis B and C are the most common cause of liver cirrhosis, liver cancer, and viral hepatitis-related morbidity and mortality.
She said that Hepatitis B can be spread from one person to another through sexual contact, sharing of needles, and syringes, and even from mother to baby at birth.
The Deputy Governor implored the people to protect themselves and their loved ones from this viral Hepatitis by ensuring that they are tested and vaccinated.
Dr. Banigo insisted that the aim of the Health campaign “is to raise awareness about the need of bringing Hepatitis care to Primary Health Facilities, Community based Venues, and locations beyond Hospital sites so that care is closer to communities, and the people can get access where ever they are”.
Meanwhile, the World Health Organization WHO said the world is currently facing a new outbreak of unexplained acute hepatitis infections affecting children.
The WHO in a statement said scientists and policymakers in affected countries, are working to understand the cause of the infection that does not appear to belong to any of the known 5 types of hepatitis viruses: A, B, C, D, and E.
WHO also called on governments to bring hepatitis care closer to the primary health facilities and communities so that people will have better access to treatment and care, no matter what type of hepatitis they may have.
The theme of this year’s World Hepatitis Day Celebration is” Bringing hepatitis care closer to you”.
