By Ojoma Akor
The Federal Ministry of Health says that
over 90% of people infected with hepatitis B in Nigeria are undiagnosed .
The coordinating minister of health and social welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate made the disclosure Tuesday during the commemoration of the World Hepatitis Day. The event was organized by the National AIDS, Viral Hepatitis and STIs Control Programme (NASCP) of the federal ministry of health and social welfare.
Represented by the director public health of the ministry, Dr Godwin Ntadom, the minister said over 8.1% of the Nigerian population is infected with Hepatitis B.
He said, ” Despite the availability of vaccination and treatment, over 90% of those infected are undiagnosed and unknowingly transmit the virus to others, including children.”
He said symptoms were often misdiagnosed as malaria, adding that conditions such as fever, fatigue, and malaise are typically treated with self-medication, while the virus silently damages the liver and may progress to liver failure or cancer.
The minister said the country faces an overwhelming burden, with over 20 million people living with Hepatitis B and C: 18.2 million are affected by Hepatitis B, and 2.5 million by Hepatitis C.
He said, 4,252 Nigerians die each year from liver cancer caused by untreated hepatitis.
Prof. Pate said the socioeconomic cost of the epidemic is staggering, highlighting that Nigeria loses between ₦13.3 trillion and ₦17.9 trillion annually in direct and indirect costs.
He announced the launch of “Project 365,” a nationwide screening, diagnosis, and treatment campaign aimed at eliminating Hepatitis C and halting the transmission of Hepatitis B by 2030.
According to him, this will complement the ongoing efforts to eliminate mother to child transmission of HIV, Viral Hepatitis and STI, being implemented nationwide.
He said, “We are also laying the groundwork for sustainable local pharmaceutical manufacturing through:
Increased budgetary support for hepatitis programs.The establishment of the Viral Elimination Fund (VEF)
“Tax incentives and regulatory reforms to support domestic production.
“Legislative backing for expanded diagnostics and treatment.”
The National Coordinator of the National AIDS/HIV, Viral Hepatitis and STIs Control Programme (NASCP), Dr. Adebobola Bashorun said the campaign would use community-led approaches, including: Mass testing across communities, vaccination for hepatitis B-negative individuals, treatment rollout for hepatitis C cases, advocacy on prevention methods like safe sex and hygiene and partnerships with state governments, media, and religious leaders.
He said the theme of this year’s commemoration of the World Hepatitis Day “Hepatitis: Let’s Break It Down” is a call to action on breaking social and structural barriers to lifesaving services with implementation of a national framework aligned with SDG 3 and the Global Health Sector Strategy on Hepatitis.
A World Health Organization (WHO) representative, Dr. Mya Sapal Ngon commended the Nigerian government for prioritizing hepatitis and integrating services into broader platforms like HIV and maternal health clinics.
“We commend the focus on increasing domestic financing, reducing stigma, and promoting treatment access. Together, we can bring hepatitis down,” she stated.
The representative of CHAI, Chukwuemeka Agwuocha lauded
Nigeria’s adoption of a public health model that integrates hepatitis services into existing health systems and community platforms.
The representative of the Director-General of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Adaugo Ngwu pledged that NOA will partner with the ministry and civil society organisations to take hepatitis message to the grassroots.
“As the citizen engagement arm of the government, we are mandated to enlighten the people. We will support this effort by ensuring people understand the importance of testing, vaccination, and treatment,” she added.
