Ghana’s Minister of Health, Dr. Bernard Okoe-Boye, has urged stakeholders and development partners to collaborate with the government to tackle the country’s viral hepatitis burden.
He emphasized the need for collective action to achieve elimination by 2030. Despite receiving technical and funding support from various international partners, Dr. Okoe-Boye acknowledged that more needs to be done.
Viral hepatitis, an inflammation of the liver, can cause severe health problems and even death. It can be caused by viral infections, alcohol consumption, certain health conditions, or medications.
World Hepatitis Day, celebrated on July 28, aims to raise awareness among policymakers and the general population.
Ghana faces a significant challenge, with approximately 2.8 million people infected with hepatitis B and over 442,000 with active hepatitis C infection.
Many infected individuals are unaware of their status. To address this, the Ministry of Health is working with local government authorities to create a “Viral Hepatitis Free District” across the country.
Dr. Okoe-Boye assured that the ministry will collaborate with partners to facilitate access to hepatitis testing and treatment.
He emphasized the importance of decentralized ownership in the fight against viral hepatitis, enabling Ghana to make significant progress.
Dr. Kwame Achiano-Amponsah, Programme Manager of the Extended Programme on Immunization, highlighted the preventability of viral hepatitis B and C.
He emphasized the importance of vaccination, particularly for susceptible adolescents and adults.
The government, with support from partners, is working to introduce a hepatitis B birth dose vaccine to reduce mother-to-child transmission.
Dr. Achiano-Amponsah urged pregnant women to give birth in health facilities to ensure their babies receive the vaccine.
Dr. Frank Lule, representing the WHO Regional Director for Africa, encouraged Ghana to accelerate the introduction of the HepB birth dose vaccine and take advantage of GAVI support.
He emphasized the need for political commitment and collective action to achieve hepatitis elimination.
