The summit is aimed at discussing the high prevalence of hepatitis B and C in Africa, the slow rate of government intervention and also find a lasting solution to tackling the disease on the continent.

At the summit, a scorecard on viral hepatitis in Africa and the performance of each country under the WHO African Region in tackling the scourge of the disease is also expected to be presented.

In May 2016, 194 Member States from across the globe committed to eliminating viral hepatitis by 2030 (defined as a 90 percent reduction in new cases and 65 percent reduction in deaths).

Viral hepatitis is becoming a public health challenge in Africa as WHO said deaths from hepatitis B and C are becoming a bigger threat than those dying of AIDS, malaria or tuberculosis.

In Africa, more than 200 000 people in the WHO African Region die every year from complications of viral hepatitis B- and hepatitis C-related liver disease, including cirrhosis and liver cancer.

WHO said 60 million people, or one in 15 people, in the region, were living with chronic hepatitis B infection in 2015.

Also, more than 10 million people in the region are infected with hepatitis C.

WHO suggested that the cause of infection was most likely due to unsafe injection practices within health facilities or communities.

Intervention

It is with the aim of addressing the burden of the disease on the continent that the Egyptian government promised to provide hepatitis C testing and treatment for one million people from 14 nations.

In a press statement made available to PREMIUM TIMES, Mr Zaid said the initiative will be undertaken in countries that bear a high hepatitis burden: Burundi, Chad, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mali, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda.

He said the initiative would be implemented with the support of the WHO.

“Egypt has pledged to provide technical support, expertise and screening software, as well as free treatment for one million of our African sisters and brothers with hepatitis C for three months as part of our role on the continent. We are following the WHO screening and treatment guidelines,” he said.

Egypt has one of the world’s largest hepatitis C epidemics with nearly 40 000 people dying each year of liver failure and liver cancers associated with the disease.

However, the country in 2018, launched a new ambitious initiative, dubbed ‘100 million healthier lives’.

The campaign is meant to screen 100 million Egyptians.

So far, more than 60 million Egyptians have been screened for hepatitis C and assessed for noncommunicable diseases.

Meanwhile, the WHO Regional Director for Africa, Matshidiso Moeti, said the support from the Egyptian government is a welcome initiative.

She said, “We welcome this south-south cooperation and support to the countries in our Region from Egypt”.

“Viral hepatitis C is a growing health challenge in the Region that for too long has been largely ignored. With the generous support of Egypt, we can turn this epidemic around,” she said.

Also, WHO Regional Director for the Eastern Mediterranean, Ahmed Al-Mandhari, said although viral hepatitis remains a common public health threat in WHO’s African and Eastern Mediterranean Regions, it represents an opportunity for cross-regional collaboration.

“I am delighted to see Egypt expanding its successful initiative in eliminating hepatitis C to its continent. This is indeed a promising step towards our goal of health for all by all,” he said.

Hepatitis

Hepatitis is the inflammation of liver tissue, commonly caused by the virus.

There are five groups of Hepatitis A, B, C, D and E. However, viral hepatitis with leading concerns are B and C.

The diseases are the root causes of liver cancer, leading to 1.34 million global deaths every year.

The disease is regarded as a silent killer, while some people do not have symptoms, others develop yellow discoloration of the skin and whiteness of the eyes, poor appetite, vomiting, tiredness, abdominal pain, or diarrhea.

Source: Premiumtimes