An appeal has been made to residents in Lagos to prioritise testing, vaccination and treatment against viral hepatitis, in order to prevent and eliminate the devastating consequences of the viral disease.
The permanent secretary, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Dr. Olusegun Ogboye made the appeal at a public symposium organised by the state Ministry of Health to commemorate the 2023 World Hepatitis Day in Lagos.
He noted that citizen’s commitment is important in the effort to prevent and eliminate disease in line with the 2030 WHO strategic target of reducing new hepatitis infection by 90 percent and deaths by 65 percent.
Ogboye said hepatitis is an infection of the liver that causes liver inflammation, adding that the disease is regarded as one of the deadliest infectious and killer diseases accounting for the deaths of over 1.4 million people every year.
“Globally Hepatitis remains one of the deadliest infectious and killer diseases which accounts for the death of over 1 .4 million people every year. One in every 12 persons worldwide is living with infection.”
Ogboye stated further that the 2023 World Hepatitis Day Celebration, themed: “One Life, One Liver” is well thought out, adding that the state government has been putting in place strategies geared towards preventive care, increased awareness and treatment of the disease in Lagos State.
“We are taking significant steps to mitigate the effect of hepatitis through our viral hepatitis prevention and control program which was launched in 2016.
“Through this programme, we have rolled out capacity building and training for over 100 health workers selected across secondary and tertiary facilities in the state in addition to the screening and vaccination of health workers,” he said.
The permanent secretary noted that the fight against the hepatitis is a collective responsibility of all citizens, stressing that residents should take advantage of the strategies put in place by the state government for the prevention and control of hepatitis, and present themselves for screening, testing, treatment and vaccination, in order to help government achieve its prevention, early detection and management strategy against the disease
