Dr. Adesegun Adekale, a Consultant Gastroenterologist at Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital Complex (OAUTHC) in Ile-Ife, has asked the Federal Government to make hepatitis treatment a priority starting at birth.
On Thursday, he delivered the advice in an interview with the Nigerian News Agency (NAN) in Ile-Ife, Osun State, to observe World Hepatitis Day (WHD).
WHD is marked every year on July 28 to promote awareness of viral hepatitis, a liver infection that causes serious liver illness, and the topic for 2021 is “Hepatitis Can’t Wait,” according to reports.
Autoimmune hepatitis and hepatitis that happens as a secondary effect of medications, narcotics, or alcohol are two examples of liver illness that are often caused by viral infection, but there are other probable reasons.
Hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E are the five forms of viral hepatitis, with each virus causing a particular type of virally transmitted hepatitis.
Hepatitis A is invariably an acute, short-term infection, whereas hepatitis B, C, and D are more likely to become chronic, and hepatitis E is usually acute but can be very harmful in pregnant women.
Some countries, according to Adekale, have progressed and have been able to limit hepatitis infections because their governments have taken responsibility of the disease’s management.
The doctor, who praised President Muhammadu Buhari for his efforts in various areas, particularly health, called on the federal government to lead the fight against the disease by vaccinating people against it.
He also emphasized the importance of widespread screening and curable hepatitis B treatment.
“Treatment for hepatitis will continue to be challenging until the government takes ownership of it, either to pay it or to acquire funds from other sources,” he added.
“The damage that hepatitis does by producing liver cancer or cirrhosis cannot be delayed until the government takes complete control.”