The
world observed World Hepatitis Day yesterday on the theme: “Know hepatitis –
Act now” with the aim of increasing global awareness, as well as strengthening
prevention, diagnosis and treatment services.
The
Gambia through the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare and its partners
joined the rest of the world to observe the day.
It
has been stated that viral hepatitis, an infection of the liver caused by five
distinct hepatitis viruses, is a highly widespread public health problem in
Africa.
According
to the World Health Organisation, viral hepatitis – a group of infectious
diseases known as hepatitis A, B, C, D, E – affects hundreds of millions of
people worldwide, causing acute and chronic liver disease and killing close to
1.4 million people every year, mostly from hepatitis B and C. It is estimated
that “only 5% of people with chronic hepatitis know of their infection, and
less that 1% have access to treatment”.
This
is actually alarming as the disease has continued to take its toll on the lives
of people across the world especially in African countries, affecting people
more than 10 times the number of people infected with HIV.
And
that is why we in The Gambia should take it serious as advised by the WHO
urging countries to take rapid action to improve knowledge about the disease
and to increase access to testing and treatment services to reduce needless
deaths from “this preventable and treatable infection”.
“The
world has ignored hepatitis at its peril and it is time to mobilise a global
response to hepatitis on the scale similar to that generated to fight other
communicable diseases like HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis,” said the deputy
permanent secretary at the Ministry of Health.
We
would, therefore, like to call on all and sundry to increase our understanding
of hepatitis and how we should prevent it from taking its toll on our lives.
The
new strategy set out by the WHO to tackle the disease includes “a 30% reduction
in new cases of hepatitis B and C, and a 10% reduction in mortality by 2020”.
Let
us all in one way or another ensure these targets are achieved, even faster and
more than targeted.
In
doing so, we should try to know whether we are at risk, get tested and demand
treatment if affected.
“Hepatitis kills close to 1.4 million people every year.”
WHO
