The Federal Government and the World Health Organization (WHO) Tuesday said that hepatitis B birth dose vaccination still remains the best way to reduce the numbers of new infections in the country, because the most vulnerable time for infection is in the first month of life.
They also revealed that people with hepatitis-related complications are at a higher risk of developing severe cases of COVID-19 and must continue to receive essential hepatitis prevention and treatment services during the pandemic and beyond.
The WHO therefore called for the scaling up of hepatitis B birth dose vaccination, leveraging the HIV and Syphilis infrastructure to prevent mother-to-child transmission and ensure mothers have access to testing and treatment.
The Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, in his address at the WHO virtual high-level meeting to commemorate World Hepatitis Day, said, โNigeria is endemic for both viral hepatitis B and C. In 2018 Nigeria conducted a National AIDS Indicator and Impact Survey which showed a prevalence of 8.1 percent for Hepatitis B (HBV) and 1.1 percent for Hepatitis C (HCV). We could estimate that about 20 million people are chronically infected.
โWe recognize the importance of vaccination as a critical intervention in our determination to eliminate HBV infection by 2030. In the light of this, Nigeria was one of the first African countries to introduce a birth dose of HBV vaccine in 2004.
โWe are working in alignment with the Regional Resolution to reduce Chronic Hepatitis B Virus Infection to less than 2 percent in children under five years by the end of this year.
Ehanire added: โOne of the major challenges of Hepatitis B birth dose vaccination was the inadequate domestic contribution to finance vaccines and expand access to services. In recent times, Nigeria has made important progress in this area.
โWe are committed to a $3billion Nigeria Strategy on Immunization and PHC Systems Strengthening (NSIPSS). This is our plan for transitioning to financial ownership of the immunization and primary health care system over a ten-year period, from 2018-2028.
โAll in all, the plan aims to address inequities in the uptake of routine vaccines and includes improvement of coverage for HBV Birth Dose. In 2019, HBV birth dose coverage was 59 percent. It is important to note that Nigeria has not defaulted in its co-financing obligations of routine immunization implementation for the past 3 years.
โWe have also worked on strengthening routine immunization through the establishment of a National Emergency Routine Immunization Coordination Centre (NERICC) in 2017, and there have been several gains through the creation of this platform.
โWe acknowledge the significant work that is required to address prevention of mother to child transmission of viral hepatitis. The robust policy on Reproductive Health, Maternal, New-born, and Child Health (RMNCH) to screen all pregnant mothers for HIV, syphilis and viral hepatitis presents a great opportunity that can be strengthened to improve prevention of mother to child transmission of viral hepatitis.โ
According to the Country Representative of the WHO, Dr. Walter Kazadi Mulombo, โWe commemorate the world hepatitis day to increase the awareness of this public health threat. Of the 71 million Africans with chronic viral hepatitis, 300 people sadly lose their lives daily from liver cancer and other complications relating to hepatitis B and C.
โThis yearโs theme is hepatitis free future, highlighting the importance of preventing mother-to-child transmission of hepatitis B and scaling up prevention, testing, and treatment to control hepatitis B and cure hepatitis C.
โHepatitis B comprises 85 percent of the hepatitis burden in the WHO African region. The most vulnerable time for infection is in the first month of life and this can be prevented with the hepatitis B birth dose vaccination in the first 24 hours of life.
โAchieving at least 90 percent coverage in the region would prevent over 1.5 million new infections and 1.2 million deaths from liver cancer by 2035. Hepatitis B can go undetected for years and their devastating consequences.
โDespite the low cost of the hepatitis dose vaccine, only 13 African countries have introduced it. It is far short of the target of 35 countries by 2020. So far, 15 countries have launched national hepatitis plans.
โWHO is working with countries and partners to accelerate action towards the 90 percent reduction of new hepatitis B and C infections and the 65 percent reduction of death by 2030. Achieving these goals require urgent introduction and scaling up of hepatitis B birth dose vaccination, leveraging the HIV and Syphilis infrastructure to prevent mother-to-child transmission and ensure mothers have access to testing and treatment.
โAs we battle COVID-19, the threat of fatal delays to scaling up hepatitis B birth dose and other essential hepatitis B services looms large.
โPeople with hepatitis-related complications are at a higher risk of developing severe case of COVID-19 and must continue to receive essential hepatitis prevention and treatment services during the pandemic and beyond.โ
