As the world celebrates Hepatitis Day every 28th July, eminent Nigerians are reflecting on the challenges, threats and way forward in the nation’s health sector with emphasis on the global best standards in handling the disease.
Hepatitis known to be a viral disease caused by Hepatotrophic viruses affect the liver and the very many cases have been numbered: A, B, C, D, E and G by global health standards.
Addressing journalists, a medical practitioner based in Obehie (Asa) Abia State, Dr. Okebugwu Dan Nwankwo, emphasised that the Nigerian Health sector is yet to be given its first place in the national budget planning execution to enable the common man to have access to medical care as his or her fundamental right as a citizen of Nigeria.
He decried the challenge of unavailability of health facilities and equipment needed to boost the health care system and provide Nigerians with the much privilege to remain healthy.
“The health sector in Nigeria has still not been given its first place in the national budget, planning and execution so that the common man will have access to medical care as to what he or she can benefit from the government as a citizen of the country.
“Hospitals are not well equipped, the government owes health workers arrears of salaries, bad roads to access some health facilities, electricity problems etc are all parts of the problem.”
He admitted that Nigerians have recorded some success stories in combating Hepatitis through preventive measures than in treatment, but maintained that the problems of Hepatitis patients should not be treated with a wave of hand to avoid more victims.
“The success so far recorded in Nigeria in combating Hepatitis is more in the prevention than the treatment.
“The campaign on vaccination of all newborn, the war against open defecation and careful as well as thorough screening of blood samples and components before transmission are steps in the right direction and are highly commendable. Symptoms like fever, upper abdominal pain, jaundice, anorexia, headache nausea/ vomiting and sometimes diarrhea, passage of dark urine, pale stool.
“The later problems are sequelae or complications of Hepatitis like acute liver failure, Cholestatic hepatitis, Aplastic Anemia, Chronic liver disease and Cirrhosis especially with Hepatitis B and C, Relapsing hepatitis etc. With this, the individual is incapacitated and cannot do any work. This then has a negative effect on the national economy.”
On the way forward for Nigerians and the health sector, he maintained that, “We should intensify the campaign on war against open defecation, vaccination of all newborn, improvement in the Nigerian health system including the provision of facilities and health workers welfare will make a whole lot of difference.”