Over six million Nigerians are unaware they are infected by Hepatitis virus

The Federal Ministry of Health  at the commemoration of World Hepatitis Day 2016, revealed that  over 20 million Nigerians are currently living with Hepatitis, with about 30 percent unaware they are affected and not taking necessary measures.


Even with the high prevalence of these diseases, health experts said most people infected are unaware and are at risk of developing liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma and also transmitting the infection to other members in the communities.

As a result of this, Isaac Adewole, the Minister of Health at the commemorative event in Abuja  said the Federal Government has keyed in its operational strategies  to the  first global Health Sector Strategy on viral hepatitis for 2016-2021,which was approved during the 69th World Health Assembly in May 2016,which Nigeria is a signatory to.

Represented by Evelyn Ngige, the director of Public Health in the Ministry,the minister announced that  the federal government has set strategies in place to confront the spread of the viral disease  through prompt establishment of the viral Hepatitis Control Programme in 2013 as well as development of the first edition of the National Policy for the control of Viral Hepatitis in Nigeria.