The World Congress of the International Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association and the African Viral Hepatitis Convention took place recently in Cape Town and the online news agency, Daily Maverick reported that two new declarations were launched at the convention.
According to the National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases, viral hepatitis is an infection that inflames and damages the liver. Several viruses cause hepatitis, including hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E. Hepatitis A and E viruses often cause severe illnesses. The hepatitis B, C and D viruses can cause both acute and chronic illnesses.
There has been a concern about the rise of hepatitis infections, this is after the World Health Organisation (WHO) confirmed in a report released earlier this year. The report stated, “Viral hepatitis is one of the communicable diseases for which deaths are increasing. The global coverage of viral hepatitis prevention, diagnosis and treatment is too low, and people living with viral hepatitis and their communities continue to bear the heavy burden of the epidemic.”
Daily Maverick further claimed that most of these hepatitis deaths, nearly 300,000, take place in Africa and it’s unnecessary deaths because they all could be preventable. There’s a vaccination for hepatitis B virus (HBV) that was introduced, which is implemented at childbirth. When discovered early enough, a diagnosis of the hepatitis C virus (HBC) can be treated and cured within 8-12 weeks.
Since some parts of Africa lack necessary resources such as screening equipment in hospitals, vaccinations etc., a child born with hepatitis B can grow and live with the virus unknowingly until they are old and start to develop liver cancer, which is life-limiting.
The African Viral Hepatitis Convention Declaration of Cape Town pointed out the following facts about the viruses.
1. 63% of the global burden of hepatitis now occurs in Africa.
2. This year, 771,000 new HBV and 172,000 new HCV infections will occur in Africa
3. In Africa, only 18% of babies received a hepatitis B birth dose vaccination.
4. Less than 1% of patients in sub-Saharan Africa are undergoing curative treatment, compared to up to 55% in high-income countries.
This is not a good look for the continent and it is a call for action. The declaration made by the Convention suggested that there should be an allocation of the needed resources to the respective hospitals and health centres, as well as domestic funding.
They also claimed that there is a need for political will and commitment to institute policy discrimination. The key factor to combating the viruses is the prioritisation of national elimination plans such as vaccination, prevention, screening and treatment.
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