Stakeholders have stressed that prevention of Hepatitis is the best way to reduce the burden of the disease in Nigeria.
They made the call at an event to mark the 2024 World Hepatitis Day, themed: “It’s Time for Action”, in Abuja.
The coordinating minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Ali Pate said that preventing vertical transmission of Hepatitis B was crutial to meeting hepatitis elimination targets.
Represented by the national coordinator, National HIV/AIDS Viral Hepatitis and STIs Control Programme (NASCP), Dr Adebobola Bashorun, the minister said that the strategies include provision of national support for pregnant mothers living with viral hepatitis, to eliminate mother-to-child transmission.
“Ensuring timely access to the Hepatitis B birth dose vaccine for newborns and expanding access to care through capacity building for primary and secondary facilities on the public health approach to managing viral hepatitis B and C infections,” he said.
