Hepatitis B worse than Aids, says government
Testing. A health worker takes blood samples from a patient during the launch of the emergency vaccination campaign against Hepatitis B in Dokolo Town last year. PHOTO BY BILL OKETCH
What you need to know:
- In 2015, the Health ministry commenced vaccination of adolescents and adults against the Hepatitis B virus after President Museveni launched the exercise in Ngora District, eastern Uganda, in July of the same year.
- Last week, sections of the media reported that government was set to investigate health facilities that the National Drug Authority (NDA) said had been found with fake stock of Hepatitis B vaccines.
KAMPALA. A Ministry of Health report indicates that northern Uganda continues to be most hit by the Hepatitis B disease, with the ministry saying the viral disease is worse than Aids.
Dr Diana Atwine, the Health ministry permanent secretary, said most of the cases of Hepatitis B are also victims of HIV/Aids because the diseases are inter-related in spread.
“We as government are making sure the two diseases are combated because we have realised that Hepatitis B is more dangerous than Aids. The only good news is that Hepatitis is preventable,” Dr Atwine said.
Most prone
The report released in Kampala last Thursday indicates that figures compiled since 2015 places Mid-northern region as most prone to the disease prevalence at 4.6 per cent of the country’s population followed by East-northern region at 4.4 per cent.
Uganda’s population stands at 34.9 million according to the 2014 National Population and Housing Census.
Dr Atwine said the national disease prevalence has been established at 2.7 percent of the population, meaning an equivalent of 17.6 million people are eligible to be vaccinated as opposed to the former report that had overrated the figure at 10 per cent.
“After we carried out a more comprehensive research, we actually noted that the prevalence is way lower than we had put earlier,” she said.
In 2015, the Health ministry commenced vaccination of adolescents and adults against the Hepatitis B virus after President Museveni launched the exercise in Ngora District, eastern Uganda, in July of the same year.
Last week, sections of the media reported that government was set to investigate health facilities that the National Drug Authority (NDA) said had been found with fake stock of Hepatitis B vaccines.
MOST HIT AREAS
The report cited the northern districts of Agago, Alebtong, Amolatar, Amuru, Apac, Dokolo, Gulu, Kitgum, Kole, Lamwo, Lira, Otuke, Oyam Pader and Omoro as most hit by the virus, with South-western part of the country as least affected.
