More than 15,000 Ghanaians lost their lives to chronic hepatitis B and C-related liver diseases in 2022, Dr Patrick Kuma Aboagye, Director General of Ghana Health Service, has revealed.
This according to him, translates to approximately 42 deaths every day, predominantly affecting young adults who suffer from liver failure and cancer.
He said this at this year's Ghana Hepatitis Stakeholders Conference held in Accra yesterday.
Dr Aboagye said the significant burden of chronic hepatitis B and C in the country, with a notably higher prevalence in the northern regions compared to the south. However, he said many cases remain undiagnosed due to low testing capacity and inadequate reporting systems.
"As a result, a large portion of the population is unaware of their infection status, complicating treatment efforts so there is urgent need for increased awareness and improved healthcare access," he said.
Approximately, Dr Aboagye said eight per cent of newborns in Ghana were born to mothers with hepatitis B, and 95 per cent of these infants would develop chronic hepatitis if left untreated.
He said many families were unaware of their risk, leading to further transmission during subsequent pregnancies.
"Ghana's commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) aims to eliminate hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030," he said.
According to him, significant gaps remained in testing, vaccination, and care.
"The Ghana Health Service has initiated several interventions, including vaccination programmes for children, but requires the support of stakeholders at all levels--community, district, regional, and national--to achieve its goals," he said.
Dr Aboagye called on all stakeholders to engage actively in combating hepatitis and stressed the importance of community involvement and highlighted the need for coordinated efforts to address gaps in service delivery.
He said government was implementing a triple elimination strategy targeting the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of hepatitis B, HIV, and syphilis.
"This initiative aims to ensure that newborns receive hepatitis B vaccinations at birth and that mothers who test positive receive the necessary interventions to prevent transmission," he said.
The Deputy Minister of Health, Mr Alexander Akwasi Acquah, emphasized the urgent need for collaborative efforts to eliminate viral hepatitis by the year 2030.
"Partnerships between the public and private sectors, as well as collaboration with civil society and international organisations, are essential for addressing the public health threat posed by viral hepatitis," he said.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
"Partnership is the way to go," he stated, highlighting the importance of shared goals and utilising the strengths of various stakeholders.
He said the ministry would continue to focus on prevention efforts, particularly through safe blood practices and routine childhood immunisations, which have successfully reduced new cases of hepatitis B among children.
However, Mr Acquah pointed out that chronic hepatitis B remains a major concern, affecting approximately 9.1 per cent of Ghana's population.
