Curbing Hepatitis B Scourge

On Sunday, 28 July, 2013, many countries across the world celebrated the World Hepatitis Day. The disease that is most prevalent in Asia and Africa was barely celebrated in Nigeria except for a few individuals who took it upon themselves to carry out awareness programmes. Hepatitis B is ten times more deadly than HIV/AIDS but not many people know that.

Also not popular is that you can contract the Hepatitis B virus simply by kissing. With about a third of the world population being infected, including 350 million who are chronic carriers, the disease has caused epidemics in many parts of Asia and Africa including Nigeria.

Hepatitis B is a virus that is transmitted by exposure to infectious blood or body fluids such as semen and vaginal fluids, while viral DNA has been detected in the saliva, tears, and urine of chronic carriers. In developing countries, the virus is mainly transmitted directly from the mother to an embryo, fetus or baby during pregnancy or childbirth.

The infection can also be transmitted in a healthcare setting, transfusions, dialysis, acupuncture, tattooing, sharing razors or toothbrushes.

Recent statistics about carriers in Nigeria are very staggering. Experts claim that four in 10 Nigerians may be carriers. This is most prevalent in rural areas where people have no access to medical care. In the urban area, ignorance is very high. For instance, in 2004, Hepatitis B screening was carried out among minority population of New York, US and of the 2,600 participants screened, only five were positive and of the five positive four of them were Nigerians and the fifth person was a Togolese.

According Dr Joseph Onigbinde, a doctorate degree holder in Public Health, Nigerians are very ignorant and the private sector is not helping in creating awareness and education for Nigerians to know about the deadly disease and how it could be contracted. Hepatitis B is not feared like HIV/AIDS because there is no stigma attached to it. Unlike HIV/AIDS that can be detected within a short period, Hepatitis B takes up to 20-40 years before it fully manifests and once it does, the human liver would have been ravaged.

Since Hepatitis B can be prevented it is better that we seek preventive measures rather a cure. In the United States, for instance, Hepatitis B has been included in their vaccination cycle. All children are expected to be vaccinated when they are a few months old.

Once they are vaccinated they can never be carriers of Hepatitis B. In Nigeria, the government should ensure that the Hepatitis B vaccine is included in the vaccination cycle of every child. The government can also partner proactive not-for profit organisations like the Ropheka Health Foundation and others to fight this scourge.

A massive campaign that enlightens people about the disease should be carried out particularly in the rural areas where the knowledge of the virus is poor and the prevalence high, especially in places where blood is transferred or used, like the abattoirs, hospitals and labs.

Although the human body can resist the Hepatitis B virus in 75 per cent of cases, the government should begin a health scheme that can cover all its citizens from deadly diseases as this. More campaigns should also be carried out about the disadvantages of having unprotected sexual intercourse  particularly if it is not a sexual partner, and also to avoid oral and anal sexual intercourse which is another easiest way of contracting the disease.