A gastroenterologist, Dr Olutoyin Asaolu, on Tuesday called for enlightenment and collaboration among stakeholders in order to reduce the burden of Hepatitis B in the country.
Asaolu, of works the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that Hepatitis B was a major public health disease in the country.
An Online Medical Dictionary says “Hepatitis B is a liver infection. The virus causes inflammation of the liver.”
Asaolu said, “Hepatitis B is a major disease with about 20 to 40 per cent of the population infected with the virus.
“However, the awareness level is low among Nigerians; out of every 10 person, only two are likely to know of Hepatitis B.
“We need to increase the level of awareness and we call on the media to join us in our efforts to increase sensitisation.
“Increased awareness will ensure that more people are able to go for screening and know their status.
“We say Hepatitis B is a silent epidemic because many people who are infected do not have symptoms and they do not know they have it.”
She said that if more people were aware of the virus, they could go for screening.
According to her, early detection helps to prevent those infected from developing serious liver problems associated with the disease.
“Early detection is the answer to reducing the burden of this disease.”
Asaolu said that Hepatitis B was a very serious disease that could cause liver problems including liver damage, cirrhosis, liver failure and liver cancer.
She said Hepatitis B was a highly contagious disease.
“Hepatitis B as a highly infectious disease can be spread through the exchange of body fluids like semen, vaginal fluids and blood.
“Sexually active people, people who share needles and babies born to mothers who have HBV have increased risk of being infected with the virus,” the expert said.
She said that the disease was preventable by vaccination. “We encourage everyone to know their status concerning Hepatitis B.
“It is preventable through vaccination for those that have not been infected with the virus.
“For those infected, it can be managed to prevent it from progressing into serious liver problems”, she said.