By Correspondent in Jalingo
No fewer than 20 million Nigerians have been diagnosed of having viral hepatitis according to Mr Danjuma Adda, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO),Centre For Initiative and Development (CFID) based in Jalingo, Taraba state.
The Reporters correspondent reports that CRID is a non governmental organisation with focus on health related issues.
He made the revelation on Friday at one day planning meeting for the 2021 World Hepatitis Day (WHD) in Jalingo.
Adda further disclosed that 1.3 million people die of hepatitis, globally on yearly basis.
According to him, one person die person every 30 seconds globally due to hepatitis related illnesses.
Adda, who is the president-elect, World Hepatitis Alliance (WHA), said that 60 million people lived with the virus in Africa, adding that its prevelance could be between 15 and 19 per cent in Taraba state.
He, however, noted that actions on control and prevention of the deadly virus, by the government, was weak and called on all stakeholders to engage in hepatitis elimination campaign.
The CEO however, commended Gov. Darius Ishaku of Taraba state for being the first governor to scale up hepatitis programme in Nigeria but to him to invest more to end its prevalance in the state.
Adda attributed consumption of alcohol, herbal medicine and concoction as factors worsening hepatitis situations in victims.
He also identified mismanagement of the virus by hospital as another factor that delayed mitigation of the virus in people living with it.
According to him, awareness must cut across population and health care workers, on how to control the hepatitis prevalence.
He also expressed the commitment of the CIFD to check social injustice caused by lack of action on viral hepatitis in Nigeria,through advocacy.
“We need to fight stigma attached to the disease.
“Every 30 seconds people die of hepatitis related illness globally.
“1.3 million people die of hepatitis globally yearly, while
60 million people are living with it in Africa and 20 million people in Nigeria.
” It’s an orphan disease that kills more than AIDs and malaria, though
It is curable but highly unaffordable.
“I pick up the challenge of carrying up the campaign, especially in Nigeria and Taraba state, where there is 15-19 percent of hapatitis prevelance,’ he said.
The online publication reports World Hepatitis Day comes up on June 29, 2021 with the theme; ” hepatitis can’t wait.”
According to medical experts,hepatitis virus is a very vicious health condition, adding that it is a tough virus that spreads and duplicates, especially in the liver, creating disturbances.
