Government has set aside 23 Billion shillings as funding for the National Hepatitis B program set to rid the country of this deadly virus.
The development was revealed by the health minister Dr. Ruth Acheng during a media briefing at the ministry headquarters in Kampala today.
According to research, Viral Hepatitis affects hundreds of millions of people worldwide causing acute and chronic liver disease and killing close to 1.4 million people every year mostly from hepatitis B and C.
But Dr. Acheng says her ministry has identified interventional areas including community awareness, mass screening, vaccination of susceptible populations, ensuring full supply of hepatitis B vaccines and related commodities and supplies, equipping health workers with knowledge and skills on the subject, attachment of the affected person to treatment care and support programs, integration of services and resource mobilization.
“Under this program, the Government of Uganda has so far committed 23 billion shillings towards addressing the burden of hepatitis in the country. More funding is expected to be released for the program in a phased manner to cover the entire country. The estimated total cost to cover the whole country by 2020 is 220 Billion shillings” said Dr. Acheng.
The ministry of health has also prepared all referral hospitals and general hospital in region as treatment centres. According to the minister, so far three treatment centres have been equipped and are providing treatments. They include; Mulago national referral hospital, Arua regional referral hospital and Adjuman general hospital.
She however adds that arrangements are being made to ensure that all the hospitals in the country provide hepatitis treatment to the people who test positive for the Hepatitis B virus.
“This year, the World Hepatitis Day is being commemorated under the theme; “Know Hepatitis, Act now.” This, the minister says involves knowing one’s status by getting tested, and seeking for vaccination as prevention, and treatment for those positives who fit the eligibility criteria.
