By Gom Mirian
More than 91 million Africans are currently living with hepatitis, with around 125,000 hepatitis-related deaths occurring in Africa, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has said.
The WHO Regional Director for Africa, Dr. Matshidiso Moeti, disclosed this on Friday in her message to commemorate this year’s International Hepatitis Day with the theme, “One Life, One Liver”.
The theme seeks to emphasise the link between viral hepatitis infection and liver inflammation—that is, liver injury and damage—and the broader issues of liver health and primary health care.
She said that 1.2 million new hepatitis infections were detected in 2019 alone and that the majority of the population’s young and active members die from the disease.
Hepatitis is a viral infection that primarily affects the liver, causing inflammation and potentially leading to more severe conditions such as liver cirrhosis and liver cancer. The most common types in Africa are hepatitis B and C, which can be transmitted through contaminated blood, unprotected sexual activity, or from mother to child during childbirth.
“WHO supports regional and national efforts to eliminate viral hepatitis by 2030 by providing clear guidance for decentralized and simplified person-centred prevention, testing and treatment of viral hepatitis, including eliminating hepatitis B through birth dose vaccination (the day of birth or the day after).
“A lot still needs to be done to reduce hepatitis-related deaths and infections. Despite the availability of diagnostic tools and effective treatment, more than 90% of people living with hepatitis in Africa do not receive the care they need, and less than 10% of the population has access to testing and treatment. This leads to progressive advanced liver disease, devastating financial burden, emotional distress and stigma. Testing and treatment, as a public health approach, remains the most neglected aspect of the response.
“The highest burden of hepatitis B infection in children below 5 years of age is seen in countries without hepatitis B vaccination at birth. Immunisation, thus, is an important component in the fight against hepatitis.”
