Health experts have expressed concern over the escalating cost of hepatitis testing and treatment in Nigeria, cautioning that financial constraints and limited access to healthcare are preventing millions of infected individuals from receiving timely medical attention as the country observes World Hepatitis Day.
Stakeholders say the high expense of screening, diagnosis and treatment is significantly undermining national efforts to control hepatitis B and C, leaving a large number of infected Nigerians unaware of their condition.
They estimate that over 80 per cent of the roughly 20 million people living with viral hepatitis in the country remain undiagnosed, heightening their risk of developing severe liver disease and other life-threatening complications.
According to them, many patients only seek medical help when the illness has already advanced, making treatment more complex, less effective and far more costly.
The experts further warned that weak access to affordable healthcare and overstretched medical facilities are worsening the situation, limiting Nigeria’s ability to respond effectively to the growing burden of viral hepatitis.
They called for increased investment in public health initiatives, wider availability of testing and treatment services, and stronger public awareness campaigns to promote early detection.
Improved access to affordable hepatitis care, they noted, would help reduce preventable deaths, slow transmission rates and ease pressure on the country’s healthcare system.
The stakeholders urged government authorities, healthcare providers and development partners to intensify efforts to ensure more Nigerians are screened, diagnosed and treated before the disease progresses to dangerous stages.
