Anambra government scales up interventions to reduce burden of hepatitis
By Sunny A. David
The Anambra State Ministry of Health is to embark on screening and vaccination of pregnant women across the three senatorial districts of the State as part of measures to reduce burden of hepatitis in the state.
The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Vincent Okpala who disclosed this during a press briefing to mark World Hepatitis Day in Awka, said the State Government has sustained wide screening and awareness creation across the three senatorial districts.
Our correspondent reports that Viral hepatitis is inflammation of the liver caused by one or more of five main hepatic viruses with similar symptoms but differ significantly in spread, prevention, diagnosis, care and treatment.
World Hepatitis Day observed on July twenty-eight every year aims to raise global awareness of this group of infectious diseases to reduce the spread and consequences.
According to available statistics over two hundred and ninety million people worldwide are living with viral hepatitis without being aware while in Nigeria, over twenty million people are living with the virus.
Dr. Okpala identified mode of transmission to include contact with infectious blood, semen and other bodily fluids primarily during birth from hepatitis B-infected mother, sexual contact with hepatitis B-infected person, sharing needles, syringes and other sharp instruments among others.
He advised people to avoid harmful cultural practices including traditional circumcision and tribal marks, ensure correct use of condoms, avoid sharing of personal items like tooth brush and razors as well as ensure that children are immunized.
Dr. Okpala said Anambra State Government has taken proactive measures to check spread of the virus including being among the first States in the country to implement the Federal Government National Hepatitis Policy.
In his remark, the Director of Public Health and Disease Control in the Ministry, Dr. Uchechukwu Onyejimbe, called for collective efforts to fight the virus.
The theme for 2020 World Hepatitis Day is “Hepatitis Free Future.”
