World Hepatitis Day: NMA calls for free treatment of patients

As the world marks the annual Hepatitis Day, the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Plateau Chapter, on Tuesday calls for free treatment of patients of the disease.

The Chairman, Plateau Chapter of the association, Dr Titus Dajel, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Jos, said the gesture would reduce the financial hardship some of the patients faced in accessing the drugs.

“The cost of treating Hepatitis B and C is very expensive and not affordable for the poor. As the treatment of HIV is free, such gesture should be extended to other viral diseases such as hepatitis,” he said.

Dajel decried the high number of quacks treating hepatitis, saying the items they used for such treatment was toxic to the liver.

“Government needs to take deliberate steps to curb quackery in the health sector. It can go a long way in addressing mortality and morbidity of hepatitis patients,” he said.

Dajel urged the government to intensify efforts to ensure that people who tested negative of the disease got vaccinated, especially those who worked in health institutions and those who patronised commercial sex workers.

Also, Dr Bello Banimoh, a Senior Registrar, Department of Medical Microbiology at Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH), urged the government to subsidise prices of drugs for Hepatitis B and C, saying the medication was expensive.

He called on the government to educate and enlighten the people on the disease in schools, rural areas, health facilities and provide potable water as Hepatitis A could be from contaminated water and food.

He said that children should be immunised against the disease while adults who tested negative of the disease got vaccinated against it.

The medical doctor said sharing of sharp objects such as needles and blades must be discouraged to prevent the spread while explaining that Hepatitis B and C had more clinical concern because it could lead to long term complication such as cancer of the liver.

“Get tested and if negative, a regime is scheduled to build your immunity against Hepatitis B. For the new born, at six weeks, first dose is given for a child,” he said.

Banimoh said Hepatitis B and C which were the most popular could be managed while Hepatitis C to a certain percentage, could be cured using drugs