Ghana reported more than 15,000 deaths from Hepatitis B and C-related liver diseases in 2022, equating to 42 deaths daily.
Many victims, predominantly young men and women, succumbed to liver failure and liver cancer. Dr. Patrick Kuma-Aboagye, Director-General of the Ghana Health Service, revealed these figures at the 2024 Ghana Hepatitis Stakeholders’ Conference.
He highlighted the country’s significant burden of chronic Hepatitis B and, to a lesser extent, chronic Hepatitis C, both causing severe illnesses and premature deaths among Ghanaians.
Dr. Kuma-Aboagye pointed out that the disease burden is notably higher in the northern part of the country compared to the south. The Ghana Health Service, in collaboration with the Hepatitis Foundation of Ghana and Abbot Diagnostics, organized the conference. The main aim was to raise awareness among stakeholders.
The conference’s theme was “Mobilizing Partnerships for Viral Hepatitis Elimination in Ghana.” Stakeholders sought to foster a collective effort to support the country’s goal of eliminating the disease.
What is Hepatitis?
Hepatitis is a condition characterized by liver inflammation caused by disease-causing microorganisms. Viral hepatitis includes types A, B, C, D, and E. In 2016, Ghana’s hepatitis prevalence rate was estimated at 12.3%, significantly above the 8% threshold.
Dr. Kuma-Aboagye stressed that, despite the high burden of Hepatitis B and C, limited testing capacity and inadequate reporting have kept diagnosis rates low. He added that approximately 8% of newborns each year are born to mothers who test positive for Hepatitis B at antenatal clinics.
This poses a higher risk of mother-to-child transmission depending on the virus type. Dr Kuma- Aboagye therefore urged stakeholders to engage with the control program to identify gaps. This, he said, will assist in the disease’s eradication.
A Global Menace
Dr. Frank Lule, WHO Representative to Ghana said, globally, around 300 million people live with chronic viral hepatitis.
“If you divide that, we are getting more than 3,000 people dying every day because of chronic viral hepatitis. And we are at a time when we have so many tools at our disposal to do something about the disease.
“We now have the diagnostics. The medicines available to us have never been cheaper than they are now, so I think we are at a time when we can really do something about this,” he said.
Egypt’s Ambassador to Ghana, A. M. Youssef, was present at the meeting. He also expressed optimism that Ghana could eliminate Hepatitis C. He cited Egypt’s success through an aggressive national screening and treatment strategy.
The Deputy Minister of Health, Alexander Kwasi Acquah, also called for increased partnerships and praised Egypt’s support. This includes the provision of Hepatitis C medicines.
He assured that the Ministry of Health would initiate discussions with the Ministry of Finance to secure domestic resources and create fiscal space. This, he said, is necessary to fund viral hepatitis elimination efforts.
