Posted on: Tue 04-08-2020

A Gastroenterologist, Dr. Cara Cookey, has lamented that people managing hepatitis are being denied attention as a result of COVID-19 pandemic.

Cookey, said this in an interview with our correspondent on the sidelines of the World Hepatitis Day commemoration organised by Olpharm Nigeria Limited at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, Ikeja.

She said hepatitis patients’ care was affected during the COVID-19 lockdown period.

“People managing hepatitis, just like other patients, were not allowed to access treatment in hospitals during COVID-19 lockdown period. We relied heavily on teleconferences to reach as many patients as possible.

“Even now, the hospitals are still not functioning at full capacity.” Cookey also bemoaned the high cost of hepatitis viral loads test in the country, adding that it was compounding the financial challenge of the patients.

“Some patients spend as much as N500,000 on treatment. The government can help patients to subsidise treatment. “I must admit that management of hepatitis B is quite challenging because it involves many things such as patient follow-up, laboratory analysis, ultrasound and other out of pocket expenses. Unfortunately too, it is not covered by health insurance,” she said.

The managing director of Olpharm Nigeria Limited, Mr Johnson Olusetire, said hepatitis B is a life-threatening infection that can lead to chronic health challenges like cirrhosis or liver cancer.

He said the disease could be transmitted through contact with blood, sharing of needles and syringes, sex and mother to baby at birth. Olusetire noted the best way to prevent hepatitis was through vaccination.

Source: Punch

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