FG laments funding for hepatitis treatment as 16 million Nigerians infected

Federal Government said it has introduced policy documents and guidance for action with partner support yet, ensuring optimal access to service remains a challenge, while the out-of-pocket payment is still the main source for financing treatment.

The government also said it recognised the urgent need to address out-of-pocket payment and improve sustainable financing to be on course to the elimination targets.

The Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire at a briefing in Commemoration of the 2021 World Hepatitis Day disclosed that 16 million Nigerians are estimated to be infected with Hepatitis B and 2.2 million with Hepatitis C, which represents estimated prevalence rates of 8.1% and 1.1% respectively adding that In 2019, 3.8% of the world’s population was living with Chronic Hepatitis B Virus infection and 0.75% with Hepatitis C infection.

“The global theme for this year, “Hepatitis Can’t Wait!”, aptly urges continuous effort to manage and mitigate hepatitis in Nigeria”.

Ehanire said the government adopted the national sub-theme “National Ownership and Financing for Viral Hepatitis Elimination”, as a clarion call to action by all stakeholders and acknowledge the need to increase engagement to realise the desired changes.

“Viral Hepatitis remains a disease of public health importance, the mortality rate from both infections, being still alarming, despite limited global progress in addressing the scourge.”

“There is a low level of awareness, under-reporting, under-diagnosis, and under-treatment of Hepatitis B and C in Nigeria.”

“The acclaimed “Decade of the Elimination of Public Health Infections” is now challenged by the global COVID-19 pandemic and re-emphasises the need to continue action despite any challenges in the health sector.”

“Though Nigeria has fared relatively well in the COVID-19 response so far, this challenging period opens opportunities for integration of resources across programs of public health importance.”

“The Federal Government, for example, strengthened and scaled up laboratory infrastructure across the nation in the Covid-19 pandemic response, providing an opportunity from which the viral hepatitis programme will benefit”.

Ehanire further said Nigeria subscribed to the World Health Organization coverage targets for eliminating viral hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030, focusing on infant vaccination, prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PMTCT), blood and injection safety, harm reduction and diagnosis and treatment.

“The importance of data for tracking interventions and measuring progress is critical as an achievement of the viral hepatitis programme in the past years and for the first time, tools were acquired for routine data reporting as part of a larger effort to establish a national surveillance system.”

Ehanire recognised some encouraging activities by sub-national governments in viral hepatitis control in which Lagos and Nasarawa States are funding elements of their programme and Taraba and the Adamawa States, among others, have partnered with pharmaceutical companies to advance state programs.

“In view of Nigeria’s commitment to the 2030 Viral Hepatitis Elimination plan, it is essential to improve community engagement, political leadership, testing and treatment, and scale up high-impact interventions”.

Ehanire called for the collaboration of stakeholders to tackle the menace of hepatitis in the country as he charged Nigerians to get screened.

“The federal government will need the collaboration of a broad range of stakeholders to tackle this disease. I use this occasion to call on the private sector to explore mutually beneficial partnerships with the government and invest their resources in fighting viral hepatitis.

“I also charge all Nigerians to work together to eliminate this silent killer, viral hepatitis. Go to any health facility and get screened, it is a simple rapid test, taking less than 15 minutes.”

The Country Representative of World Health Organization,(WHO) Walter Kazadi Molumbo said As a follow up to the commitment of the African Heads of States to address viral hepatitis as a public health threat in the Cairo Declaration in February 2020, WHO advocates for the creation of a viral hepatitis budget line at the national and state levels to programme for the disease.

Molumbo added that the inclusion of testing and treatment services within the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) will facilitate much-needed access for the people that need it.

“WHO urge all stakeholders in maternal and child health to consider integrating hepatitis B interventions into antenatal care services together with the HIV and Syphilis PMTCT programme.”

“In collaborations with other key partners, we can step-up action in supporting the FMOH to mobilize the needed domestic and international resources required for viral hepatitis control in the country.”

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