By Bob MajiriOghene Etemiku
Professor Peter Olaitan, the Chief Medical Director of Osun state University Teaching Hospital in Osogbo, has appealed to the Federal Government of Nigeria to test, screen and immunize Nigerians against Hepatitis B infection free of charge.
Olaitan made the plea in presentation, titled: “Covid-19 on the Rise Again, Hepatitis Can’t Wait,” at a forum organized by the Window on America in Benin City, Edo State capital, Nigeria.
According to Prof Olaitan, Hepatitis B infects the liver through exchange of infected fluids from sex, injections, from mother to child, and exposure to infected blood. Like the Covid virus, persons infected may be symptomatic or asymptomatic.
“Hepatitis is a viral infection of the liver, and it is one of the diseases that has lived with us for ages. However, that the Covid-19 is upon us now, and that there is an urgency to deal with it should not make us forget to also deal with Hepatitis B which is a very deadly virus.”
Prof. Olaitan also said that even though there are other variants of the Hepatitis infection, from A to E, the deadliest is the B variant. ‘Hepatitis B virus is deadlier than the AIDS virus, can slowly destroy the liver without an infected person knowing so, leading to cancer of the liver.
It is the leading cause of liver cancer worldwide. Even though Asia and other countries are worst hit, Africa and Nigeria are not spared. In 2016, 862 persons were reported by the CDC to be living with Hepatitis B viral infection.
In 2018, a total of 1,849 cases were also reported as underlying or contributing cause of death. According to the WHO, every 30 seconds a person dies of Hepatitis B related cases’, Prof Olaitan said.
Prof Olaitan said that infected persons can either be symptomatic or asymptomatic just like the Covid-19 infection. Symptoms of Hepatitis B include fever, loss of appetite, nausea, jaundice, abdominal pain, and a general mimicry of other diseases like typhoid fever, malaria, etc.
“Many people have been wrongly treating malaria when they should have gone for a test and screening to find out their status. All adults are in the high-risk group, and to prevent infection by the Hepatitis B virus, we encourage Nigerians to test and screen, and try to take a Hepatitis B shot which keeps people immune for the whole of their lives. People should also practice safe sex, stop using infected sharp objects, avoid infected blood,” Prof Olaitan said.
Hepatitis B is curable with supportive treatment, and in severe cases it can be suppressed with lifelong support. There are no over the counter drugs for Hepatitis B, and according to Prof Olaitan, getting vaccinated against the infection is the best option.
“Unlike the Covid-19 vaccine which is being produced in large quantities all over the world and is free, that for Hepatitis B is not free. I would therefore use this opportunity to appeal to the Federal government to immunize Nigerians for free just the way they are immunizing Nigerians against the Covid-19 infection.
“Even though Covid-19 is on the rise again, Hepatitis B can’t wait. We want to discourage Nigerians from using agbo (herbs) to try to treat Hepatitis B,” Prof. Olaitan said.
Reports credited to the Nigerian Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire say that over 18million Nigerians are infected with Hepatitis B.
American space aka The Window on America in Benin City is a platform created by the US government to engage, educate and empower. There are about 19 American Corners in Nigeria, spread right across the geopolitical zones.
They corner runs programs like ‘Speak with a Diplomat’, ‘Conversation with an Alum’, and ‘Employability Webinar’ for young people seeking to be employable. The Prof Olaitan lecture was in keeping with the American corner tradition of observing special days – like the World Hepatitis Day.
Olaitan is a specialist plastic surgeon, trained first at the University College Ibadan, and subsequently in India, the UK and the US. He holds several administrative and leadership positions in Nigeria, was chairman medical advisory committee, dean faculty of clinical sciences, provost of the college of health sciences. He is currently the Osun State Covid-19 incident manager.
Etemiku is Alltimepost Special Correspondent in Nigeria, and Editor-In-Chief of Bob MajiriOghene Communications.
