Nigeria is facing a staggering economic burden due to hepatitis, with estimated annual losses ranging from N13.3 trillion to N17.9 trillion in direct and indirect costs. According to the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Pate, the country also records 4,252 deaths annually from liver cancer caused by untreated hepatitis. This alarming statistic highlights the urgent need for effective measures to combat the disease.
The minister revealed that Nigeria has the third-highest burden of hepatitis globally, with over 20 million people infected with the virus. Of these, 18.2 million are affected by Hepatitis B, and 2.5 million by Hepatitis C. Despite the availability of vaccination and treatment, over 90% of those infected are undiagnosed and unknowingly transmit the virus to others. Symptoms are often misdiagnosed as malaria, and the virus silently damages the liver, potentially progressing to liver failure or cancer.
In response to this public health crisis, the Federal Government has launched a nationwide initiative, Project 365, aimed at eliminating Hepatitis C and interrupting the transmission of Hepatitis B in Nigeria by 2030. The project involves constituency-by-constituency screening, diagnosis, and treatment. Additional measures include increased budgetary support for hepatitis programs, creation of a viral elimination fund, tax incentives, and regulatory reforms to encourage local pharmaceutical production.
The government is not alone in this fight. The National Coordinator of the Africa CDC, Dr. Oluyinka Olayemi, has reaffirmed the centre’s solidarity with Nigeria and praised the country’s commitment to driving impactful health interventions. The Presidential Ambassador on viral hepatitis control/elimination in Nigeria, Gen. Yakubu Gowon, has also commended efforts to combat the disease, emphasizing that the country can overcome the barriers of stigma, misinformation, and limited access to testing and treatment.
The Commissioner for Health in Kano State, Dr. Abubakar Labi, has also highlighted the state’s efforts to combat hepatitis. The state has launched the “HepFree Mothers, Healthy Babies” initiative, providing free screening and treatment for pregnant women and administering free hepatitis vaccines to newborns. The commissioner has called on development partners, the private sector, and the media to support the state through funding, advocacy, and public awareness, emphasizing that collective effort can eliminate viral hepatitis as a public health threat in Nigeria.
