Accra: Only one per cent of the estimated three million Ghanaians living with chronic hepatitis B have been diagnosed, falling significantly short of the World Health Organisation's (WHO) target of diagnosing 90 per cent of those living with chronic viral hepatitis by 2030. This worrying statistic was shared by Dr. John Gerald Adiiboka, Programme Manager of the National Viral Hepatitis Control Programme of the Ghana Health Service (GHS), at the World Hepatitis Day commemoration in Accra.
According to Ghana Web, the low diagnosis rate is compounded by the fact that less than one per cent of diagnosed individuals are receiving necessary treatment. This lack of treatment leads to preventable deaths and increased risk of severe liver complications among those infected. The theme of this year's World Hepatitis Day, 'Hepatitis: Let's break it down,' emphasizes the need for countries to remove barriers preventing access to essential hepatitis prevention, testing, and treatment services.
Dr. Adiiboka highlighted the increasing burden of viral hepatitis in Ghana, noting a rise in hepatitis B-related deaths from 15,443 in 2024 to about 16,000 in 2025. He also mentioned that approximately 500,000 people in Ghana live with hepatitis C, with deaths from this infection increasing from around 2,040 in 2024 to about 2,086 in 2025.
The silent nature of viral hepatitis, often asymptomatic until severe liver damage occurs, contributes to the low awareness and late diagnosis. Northern parts of the country, particularly the Savannah, Northern, Upper West, and Upper East regions, experience the highest prevalence rates. Mother-to-child transmission accounts for 95 per cent of hepatitis B infections, making interventions for newborns crucial.
Despite these challenges, Dr. Adiiboka noted progress in preventing new infections. Coverage of the third dose of the hepatitis B vaccine among infants has reached approximately 95 per cent, surpassing WHO's 90 per cent target. Plans are underway to implement a nationwide hepatitis B birth-dose vaccination programme to protect newborns immediately after birth, a cost-effective measure against future infections and liver cancer.
Increased investment in testing, treatment, and surveillance, alongside a national hepatitis control policy and sustained political commitment, are deemed necessary by Dr. Adiiboka for Ghana to meet WHO's hepatitis elimination targets by 2030. The Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, reiterated the government's dedication to eliminating viral hepatitis as a public health threat, emphasizing efforts to enhance vaccination, expand access to screening and diagnosis, and improve laboratory and surveillance systems.
Mr. Akandoh urged the public to know their hepatitis status by getting tested and vaccinated. He emphasized a vision of a Ghana where no child acquires hepatitis at birth, no adult faces avoidable liver disease due to late diagnosis, and no family loses a loved one because prevention or treatment was inaccessible.
World Hepatitis Day, observed annually on July 28, aims to raise awareness about viral hepatitis, which can lead to chronic liver disease, cirrhosis, and liver cancer. While there are five main types of viral hepatitis-A, B, C, D, and E-types B and C account for most chronic infections. Transmission occurs through contact with infected blood or bodily fluids, but vaccines are available to prevent hepatitis A and B.