About 2.8 Million Ghanaians Living with Hepatitis B

By Maame Efua Kwaduah

An estimated 2.8 million people in Ghana are living with Hepatitis B, a situation health experts say is contributing significantly to the rising cases of liver cancer in the country.

President of the Paediatric Society of Ghana, Dr. Hilda Mantebea Boye, has warned that the virus often begins affecting children at an early stage of life, long before many parents become aware of the infection.

Speaking on the impact of Hepatitis B among children, Dr. Boye said more than half of primary liver cancer cases in Ghana are associated with the virus, stressing the need for improved early screening, timely vaccination of newborns and increased awareness about the dangers of unregulated herbal treatments.

According to her, 53 per cent of primary liver cancers recorded in the country are directly linked to Hepatitis B infection.

She explained that while infection rates among children below five years remain below one per cent, prevalence rises significantly among adolescents, reaching about 14.3 per cent. She attributed this increase largely to gaps in early prevention measures rather than a change in the behaviour of the virus.

Dr. Boye identified weaknesses in antenatal screening and access to vaccination as major factors contributing to continued transmission.

She noted that countries with stronger healthcare systems have reduced mother-to-child transmission through routine screening of pregnant women and immediate preventive treatment for newborns.

“Where vaccination is low, and pregnant women do not receive the immunoglobulin or the vaccine at birth, transmission will continue. The baby is then at higher risk of developing the Hepatitis B virus and will grow with it,” she said.

Dr. Boye disclosed that Ghana’s planned national rollout of the Hepatitis B birth-dose vaccine, which was expected to begin in October, has not yet commenced, leaving some newborns vulnerable to a preventable infection.

She further advised parents to pay close attention to warning signs because Hepatitis B often develops without obvious symptoms during its early stages.

She said jaundice, characterised by yellowing of the eyes or skin, is one of the major signs that may require medical attention. Other symptoms may include vomiting, nausea and loss of appetite, while severe cases can result in abdominal swelling caused by fluid accumulation and swelling of the feet.

However, she cautioned that jaundice does not always indicate Hepatitis B, explaining that conditions such as G6PD deficiency, breakdown of red blood cells, certain medications and other infections can also produce similar symptoms.

“We need to ask ourselves many questions when we see that our children have jaundice, because it may not just be the Hepatitis B,” she said.

The paediatrician urged parents to seek immediate medical attention whenever a child develops jaundice instead of waiting or attempting home treatment.

Dr. Boye also warned against the use of unregulated herbal medicines for treating jaundice, cautioning that some products could worsen liver and kidney problems because their ingredients and dosages are often unknown.

“Herbal medicines can cause liver problems. It can cause kidney problems and may make your child worse,” she said.

She stressed that only proper medical examination and laboratory tests can determine whether jaundice is caused by Hepatitis B or another underlying condition.

Explaining the diagnosis process, Dr. Boye said doctors use blood tests to detect the virus and assess liver enzyme levels, while abdominal scans help determine the condition of the liver, including its size, structure and texture.