In a bid to halt the silent epidemic being caused by Hepatitis B Virus (HBV), the House of Representatives has called for the formulation of a national policy to combat its prevalence with an infection rate of 13.7 per cent.
The House sought for a policy similar to that on HIV/AIDS as hepatitis already affects 23 million Nigerians making the country one of the countries with the highest incidences of HBV infection globally.
This was sequel to a motion by Hon. Aishatu Jibril Dukku (Gombe APC) who called for the creation of public awareness on hepatitis and the integration of the Hepatitis B vaccine into the National Immuniszation Programmes.
“Despite the fact that Hepatitis B causes chronic liver disease, it has received little or no attention in Nigeria, thereby making it a major public health hazard in the country,” she said. Dukku added that the virus was epidemic in nature as carriers are often unaware of their status and can therefore infect others through blood or bodily fluids exchange.
“The most common of hepatitis infection can cause long term disease, chronic liver disease and severe scarring of the liver...if detected before it progresses to acute liver infection level is treatable with the possibility of the life of the victim being prolonged,” Dukku added.
Only 20 per cent might progress to the liver disease stage after treatment, compared to nearly 100 per cent of HIV patients, Dukku noted.
By: Damilola Oyedele
This Day News
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