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Kudzai Chikiwa, Chronicle Reporter
THE Government has partnered with the World Health Organisation (WHO) to come up with a National Viral Hepatitis Strategic plan (2019 – 2022) to control hepatitis in the country.
Speaking during a Stakeholder Consultative Meeting on Development of the national strategic plan towards ending viral hepatitis, the Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health and Child Care, Dr Gibson Mhlanga, said the strategy addresses all five hepatitis viruses (hepatitis A, B, C, D and E), with a particular focus on hepatitis B and C which are responsible for 96 percent of all hepatitis mortality.
“Zimbabwe in partnership with WHO and other stakeholders is working on a strategic plan for hepatitis. The strategy is critical to put the country on course so as to meet the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) number 3 targets, which seek among other things to eradicate epidemics of Hepatitis, TB, HIV, and malaria by the year 2030,” he said.
Dr Mhlanga said the strategy, which is expected to be finalised by the end of this month, calls for the elimination of viral hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030.
WHO country representative Dr Alex Gasasira hailed Zimbabwe for being among the first countries in Africa to set up a programme for the prevention and treatment of hepatitis.
“Viral hepatitis is an international public health challenge comparable to other major communicable diseases including HIV, tuberculosis and malaria but despite the significant burden it places on communities across all global regions, it has been largely ignored as a health and development priority until recently,” he said.
Dr Gasasira said viral hepatitis has a high mortality rate compared to HIV, tuberculosis, and malaria whose influence are on the decline.
“We call upon partners to support this strategy for success in the Viral Hepatitis programme in Zimbabwe which is still at an early phase. It is important to draw lessons and leverage on the strengths of pre-existing programmes such as that for HIV to provide an effective response to the challenge,” he said.
In 2017, Government in collaboration with WHO commissioned a viral hepatitis rapid assessment to determine the national status in viral hepatitis prevention, treatment, care and surveillance services.
—@tamary98
Online Reporter