An estimated 18.2 million Nigerians are living with chronic hepatitis B, prompting health stakeholders to call for wider screening, vaccination and sustained public education to curb the burden of the viral infection.

The call was made during a free medical screening and health education programme organised by Cerba Lancet in partnership with Mushin Local Council, Lagos State, as part of activities to commemorate the World Hepatitis Day, observed on July 28.

The Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Cerba Lancet, Dr. Olayemi Dawodu, an anatomic and molecular pathologist, disclosed that the estimated prevalence of hepatitis B in Nigeria was about eight to nine per cent of the population.

Dawodu, who spoke during the exercise, also said about 325,000 new hepatitis infections, predominantly hepatitis B virus (HBV), were estimated in 2022, citing the World Health Organisation (WHO) Regional Office for Africa.

Against the backdrop of the disease burden, she said the community-based initiative was aimed at helping residents know their hepatitis status, access appropriate referrals and receive support where necessary.

Held at the council’s multipurpose hall, the programme attracted 247 participants with combined activities, including hepatitis screening, health education, blood pressure and weight checks as well as random blood sugar testing.

Dawodu said residents who tested positive for hepatitis B would be referred to secondary health facilities for proper management, while some participants would also receive support in the form of food and drugs.

Explaining the need for early detection, Dawodu described hepatitis B as a viral infection that could lead to liver cancer if it was not detected and treated on time.

She said the virus could be transmitted through contact with infected blood, unprotected sexual intercourse with an infected partner, exchange of needles and syringes, and the use of unclean equipment for piercing or tattooing.

Dawodu also distinguished hepatitis B from hepatitis C, noting that although both viruses affect the liver and could result in chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis and liver cancer, their modes of transmission differ.

“Hepatitis B is transmitted through blood, sexual contact and mother-to-child, while hepatitis C is transferred from blood to blood,” she said.

On prevention, she stressed the importance of hepatitis B vaccination and urged people who had not received the vaccine to do so. However, Dawodu said the continued presence of hepatitis B despite the availability of a vaccine showed that vaccination needed to be complemented with stronger advocacy and health education.

“We still need to do a lot of work by educating the communities in their local languages to enable them to understand the disease and how it spreads,” she said.

According to her, better understanding of the routes of transmission would help Nigerians take steps to prevent infection.

The Head of Business Development, Cerba Lancet, Temitope Ambrose, said Mushin was deliberately chosen for the exercise because it was where the company began its operations. He added that the area’s proximity to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, which provides laboratory services, was also considered in selecting the location.

Ambrose said the organisers initially planned to screen 200 people, but 247 residents eventually registered and participated in the exercise and described the turnout as encouraging, saying it showed the importance of taking health awareness and screening services closer to communities.

Also, the Vice Chairman of Mushin Local Council, who supervises health, Semiu Ishola Karaole, commended Cerba Lancet for bringing the programme to residents.

Karaole said the council chairman, Tunbosun Haruna Aruwe, regarded health as a priority and had assigned him responsibility for supervising the sector.

The Medical Officer of the Local Council, Dr.  Odufuwa Kayode, also emphasised the importance of early screening, describing hepatitis B as a common viral disease. Kayode said the disease could sometimes present with high fever and body pain, while its cumulative effects could make prevention more difficult.

He described hepatitis B as a silent killer when not detected on time, saying it could cause inflammation of the liver and weaken other organs of the body.

Kayode also said the Lagos State government had committed resources towards ensuring that residents were screened and treated on time.