WHO urges Africa to expand access to hepatitis care

The World Health Organization (WHO) has called on African nations to enhance access to hepatitis care, emphasizing the urgent need for improved vaccination, testing, and treatment programs across the continent. In a statement released ahead of World Hepatitis Day, the WHO Regional Director for Africa, Mohamed Janabi, highlighted that millions of people in Africa continue to lack access to essential services despite the availability of effective interventions. He underscored that viral hepatitis remains a critical public health issue, although new hepatitis B infections have decreased by 25 percent since 2015. Janabi pointed out that although vaccines, diagnostics, and treatments exist, many individuals are diagnosed too late or unable to receive care, resulting in unnecessary deaths. He stated, “No one should die from a disease that can be prevented, diagnosed and, in many cases, treated.” To address this, he urged governments, development partners, health professionals, and communities to work together to dismantle obstacles that hinder access to hepatitis services. The regional director emphasized that the necessary tools to eliminate viral hepatitis as a public health threat are already available. He explained that the hepatitis B vaccine, introduced in the early 1990s, offers up to 95 percent protection against infection. Reliable diagnostic tools allow for early detection, and hepatitis C can be cured, while long-term treatment for hepatitis B can prevent complications such as liver cirrhosis and liver cancer. Integrating hepatitis prevention, testing, and treatment into primary healthcare was identified as a key strategy to increase accessibility and affordability, thereby easing the strain on existing health systems. Janabi acknowledged that the main challenges are political will, funding, and ensuring equal access to services. He noted that countries in the WHO African Region have made strides, including expanding the universal hepatitis B birth dose vaccine, combating mother-to-child transmission of HIV, syphilis, and hepatitis B, and developing pathways to eliminate hepatitis C. However, these achievements require continued effort and expansion across all 47 member states. He expressed concern that many individuals living with viral hepatitis remain undiagnosed until significant liver damage has occurred. This situation is attributed to insufficient testing and treatment options, especially in marginalized communities, along with stigma and low public awareness. To bridge these gaps, Janabi recommended integrating hepatitis services into routine healthcare throughout a person's lifetime and increasing investment in research and innovation to improve access to new diagnostic tools and therapies, including for hepatitis B and hepatitis D co-infections. Development partners were also urged to maintain technical and financial assistance to help countries meet the global goal of eliminating viral hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030. World Hepatitis Day, observed annually on 28 July, aims to raise awareness about the disease and promote efforts to prevent, detect, and treat it. This year’s theme, “Hepatitis: Let’s break it down,” focuses on dismantling financial, social, and structural barriers that prevent people from accessing hepatitis services and speeding up progress toward its elimination. According to the WHO, viral hepatitis leads to liver inflammation and can result in severe consequences, including liver cirrhosis, liver failure, and liver cancer if left untreated. Nigeria, in particular, faces a significant burden, with the organization estimating that over 20 million Nigerians live with hepatitis B, hepatitis C, or both, yet more than 80 percent remain undiagnosed.