Dr. Adwoa Agyei Nkansah
Consultant physician at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital (KBTH), Dr. Adwoa Agyei Nkansah, has called for the inclusion of Hepatitis vaccination for children unto the routine immunization programme of the country.
Dr. Nkansah said active Hepatitis immunization remains the single most important preventive measure against the transfer of the viral infection from a mother to her child.
She explained that Hepatitis infections claim over one million lives annually if not treated which is more than HIV, Tuberculosis and Malaria.
“If a mother is positive for HBsAg and HBeAg then 70 to 90 per cent of infants get infected and 90 per cent get chronically infected,” she explained. “If positive for HBsAg, only 50 per cent of infants get infected and 90 per cent who get infected become chronically infected.”
She added that most cases of Hepatitis seen at the hospital come in late with majority of them being infections from birth.
Currently, the cost of Hepatitis vaccination is paid for by the parents after birth but Dr. Nkansah believes including it in the routine immunization will ensure every child is protected from the viral infection.
Dr. Nkansah was speaking at the maiden KBTH Webinar series on the topic, “Hepatitis Demystified,” held in Accra. The monthly series will give health experts of the teaching hospital the platform to address health issues of public concern, as well as the services offered at the premier health facility.
Demystifying viral Hepatitis, Dr. Nkansah said the infection which has a prevalence of between 8 to15 percent of the population is transmitted through blood and blood product exchange and not genetically transmitted as some sections of the public have been made to believe.
She said complications from the infection including liver cancer and cirrhosis which when detected early can be treated at the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital.
She said only 40 per cent of those infected would need treatment and that about 60 per cent of those with the viral infection need monitoring adding that the most effective way to control the spread is the infection was for the public who have not been infected to be vaccinated.
The Chief Executive Officer, KBTH, Dr. Opoku Ware Ampomah, said the webinar series was instituted as a way of contributing to preventive healthcare in the country.
He said, the Universal Health Coverage policy emphasizes preventive and promotive healthcare as a means of ensuring healthy lives hence the webinar series to provide timely and relevant health care information to the public.
“The good books says that for lack of knowledge my people perish and therefore Korle-bu being the premier health institution with the greatest medical minds and expertise, we feel that it is incumbent on us to make sure that this project is disseminated freely and across the country,” he said.
The world celebrates World Hepatitis Day on 28 July to increase awareness of the disease, which inflames the liver and can lead to liver cancer and cirrhosis.
This year’s theme is “hepatitis can’t wait” and the World Health Organization calls on all countries including Ghana, to rapidly improve access to services to prevent, diagnose and treat hepatitis.
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri