Caroline Olugbenga &
Emmanuel Oluwademilade

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Following World Health Organization WHO, report of 1.1 million people dying from Hepatitis, three million people getting infected every year of Hepatitis and Hepatitis related death happening every 30 seconds in the world, medical practitioners have warned the public of the deadly nature of Hepatitis, saying lack of knowledge has led to a surge in the number of infected people.
The medical experts gave this warning in commemoration of the World Hepatitis Day 2021, themed “Hepatitis Can’t Wait”, advising Nigerians to adhere strictly to preventive measures.
According to them, Hepatitis B is more deadly than Human Immune Deficiency Virus (HIV) and the virus is a viral systematic infection which affects the liver with an incubation period of six weeks to six months.
The Director of Medical Laboratory Science, General Hospital, Ile Oluji, Akinrotimi Olakunle explained that Hepatitis B destroys the liver of the carrier, leading to other ailments and death.
“Care should be taken when transfusing blood because the virus can spread even through blood transfusion if the blood of an infected person is transfused into an uninfected person.
“Hepatitis B infection is more deadly than HIV because it can be contracted through contact with the sweat of an infected person, use of contaminated sharp objects, the transfusion of infected blood and sexual intercourse with an infected person”.
Akinrotimi warned the public to be careful of their environment, the water they drink and even the meat they eat, saying that the virus can spread through poorly cooked infected meat and contaminated water.
Another medical practitioner, Doctor Oladipupo John affirmed that Hepatitis B is more communicable than HIV because it can be contracted through sweat of an infected person.
He however added that when detected early, the virus can be managed.
He went further that vaccines for Hepatitis B are available for new born baby till they are two weeks old, saying that every child who may be at risk of Hepatitis B have the right to be administered the vaccine.
Dr. Oladipupo advised that, “People should avoid sharing sharp objects because one of the fastest ways for Hepatitis B to spread is by sharing needles and other sharp objects for body incision and piercing. Blood should also be screened before they are transfused”.
The doctor further advised infected patients to check their viral loads regularly, so as, to make sure their health was improving.
Doctor Anjorin Oluwatomisin revealed that the virus can be transmitted from mother to child during child birth and child nursing and 40% of Hepatitis B cases are through heterosexual transmission.
While stating that the treatment of the disease was based on the level of damages it had caused to the infected people, she advised the public to get rid of sharp objects that are not theirs from their surroundings, shun unprotected sex, encourage immunization and avoid the transfusion of unscreened blood.