Let’s fight the spread of Hepatitis

In today’s issue, the Daily Graphic is throwing light on hepatitis following the global commemoration of World Hepatitis Day, last week Friday, July 28.

For the sake of context, hepatitis, a health condition that attacks vital human organs, appears more dreadful to human survival, given its wide range of transmission modes and the attendant chances of survival.

Hepatitis is a medical term used to describe inflammation of the liver.

It can be caused by various factors, but the most common causes are viral infections.

There are five main types of viral hepatitis, labelled as hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E.

Each type is caused by a different virus and has distinct characteristics.

But their modes of spread are pretty similar – through contact with fluid or blood of an infected person.

The viral hepatitis virus is found in blood and certain bodily fluids and is spread when a person who is not immune to it comes into contact with blood or body fluids from an infected person.  

Medical science teaches us that some forms of viral hepatitis, especially hepatitis B and C, can be transmitted from person to person through various means, such as unprotected sexual contact, sharing needles, or from mother to child during childbirth.

The symptoms of viral hepatitis could vary depending on the type of virus and the stage of the infection.

Some common symptoms include, feeling excessively tired or weak; yellowing of the skin and eyes; loss of appetite; nausea and vomiting.

Medical experts say hepatitis is not a death sentence, and that early detection and treatment were critical to prevent the disease from advancing to more severe stages, such as chronic hepatitis or cirrhosis.

The Daily Graphic is, particularly, worried about this health condition because of two main challenges which are testing hesitancy and national burden.

Although the country is experiencing a growing burden of hepatitis infections and mortalities, it had very low rates of diagnosis, treatment and awareness.

Official figures from the National Viral Hepatitis Control Programme of the Ghana Health Service show that four out of every 100 people sampled have the condition.

There are 1.5 million people with Hepatitis B and C in Ghana with over 3000 deaths every year from liver cancer and cirrhosis.

And due to testing hesitancy, only 10 per cent of people with chronic Hepatitis B (HBV) were diagnosed, of which only 22 per cent received treatment.

For Hepatitis C, only 21 per cent of people with the infection are diagnosed, with 62 per cent of those diagnosed receiving treatment to cure them.

Unfortunately, the national response is plagued with high cost of pre-treatment examinations and treatment and limited access to treatment.

Early detection of viral hepatitis is essential for timely treatment, preventing disease progression and transmission, reducing complications, and improving overall public health outcomes.

Regular screenings, especially for high-risk populations, play a crucial role in identifying infections early and ensuring appropriate medical care.

Instructively, the mode of transmitting viral hepatitis- through body fluids- makes everybody vulnerable to the infection which could be very deadly but manageable and curable in some instances.

Depending on the specific virus (hepatitis A, B, C, D, or E), antiviral medications, vaccines and other interventions could help manage the infection, prevent complications, and improve the chances of recovery.

We are told there is currently no effective vaccine against hepatitis C.

The cost of treatment is beyond the average person’s pocket which, therefore, places a lot of poor patients at a disadvantage.

Checks by the Daily Graphic showed that the pre-test examinations cost between GH¢2,000 and GH¢3,000, while treatment costs close to GH¢7,000, an amount beyond the reach of many people in the country.

Fortunately, there are discussions ongoing with some diagnostic centres in the country to reduce the cost of diagnosis of patients in an attempt to encourage more persons to check their status, seek medical care and eventually eliminate hepatitis from the country.

We must all support the GHS to realise its target to diagnose 90 per cent of Hepatitis B and C cases and put at least 80 per cent on treatment.