By Stephen K. Effah
Saturday, 06 October 2007
A PHYSICIAN at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Dr Adjoa Agyei Nkansah, has underscored the need to widen the National Health Insurance Scheme to cover Hepatitis B treatment in order to encourage people to know their status and seek treatment.
She said that not enouch attention has been given to Hepatitis B – a disease described as "a slow killer" – although its prevalence rate in the country is between eight to 15 per cent, which could be described as "high".
The disease, which is caused by a virus, is spread through blood and blood-related fluids or products. People with multiple partners and health care workers, among others, are those with high risk of contracting it.
She said that the baseline investigation of the disease alone could cost the individuals as much as ¢2 million, a situation which she said places a heavy burden on the patient.
At a symposium in Accra on Thursday to mark this year’s World Hepatitis Day, which fell on October 1, she said, the disease takes a very long time to manifest while others it does not show any signs at all.
The theme for the event was: "Get Tested, Get Vaccinated, Get Treated." It was organised by the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana and was aimed at creating awareness among the public to encourage them to assess their risk factors and seek diagnosis. Participants at the symposium were given free screening for the disease.
Dr Nkansah said a survey conducted in northern Ghana, which is yet to be published, revealed that 25 per cent of the children there have Hepatitis B, noting that this does not present a good picture for the country.
She said that, Hepatitis B has been identified as a casual factor of heart cancer, as it destroys the liver in the body, saying "15 per cent of Hepatitis B may progress to cancer, but not all Hepatitis B patients have cancer."
She said a research at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital sometime back showed that between 6.7 and 10 per cent of people who donated blood had Hepatitis B, while 54.1 per cent were Jaundiced and 42.8 per cent having the scary liver (cirrhosis) disease.
She said that a total of 6.4 per cent pregnant women also tested positive for Hepatitis B. She said that it is difficult for doctors to identify for instance, about 12 per cent of patients with Hepatitis B.
Globally, she said, 400 million people have hepatitis B, with sub-Saharan Africa topping the list.
She pointed out that one cannot contract or be infected with the disease through mere casual contact and advised the public not to stigmatise people with the disease.
The Hepatitis virus, she said can survive outside the human body for up to two weeks, and advised all to be very cautious in dealing with blood and blood products in order to avoid contracting it.
Dr Nkansah also said the only way for one to be sure a person has the disease is to get tested and urged Hepatitis B patients to always try to avoid alcohol and herbal medication since they can worsen their situation.
Stephen Corquaye, a pharmacist, said treatment of the disease is very expensive because of the drugs. To this end, he urged the government to waive taxes on hepatitis B drugs or subsidise it as is the case with HIV/AIDS drugs to make it more affordable.
He underscored the need for the government and all to accord hepatitis B enough attention as is the case with HIV/AIDS and other diseases.
He said the best thing for someone who is negative to avoid the disease is to go for hepatitis B vaccination, which he explained would provide up to 95 per cent immunity for five to 10 years.
He noted that children born at some hospitals get vaccinated free of charge as part of the government’s expanded immunisation programme, noting that the distribution is not even.
Mr Corquaye said that infants have only 10 per cent of recovering from an acute hepatitis B infection while young children have up to 50 per cent chance.
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