Nigeria records 18.2m people living with chronic hepatitis B

According to a report by The Nation, Managing Director of Cerba Lancet Nigeria, Dr Olayemi Dawodu, disclosed that about 18.2 million Nigerians are living with chronic hepatitis B, many unaware of their status.

Speaking at a free screening in Mushin Local Government Area, she cited WHO data placing Nigeria’s prevalence at eight to nine per cent, with 325,000 new infections recorded in 2022. The exercise screened 247 residents, exceeding the 200 target. Dawodu urged Nigerians to know their status, warning that untreated hepatitis B could progress to cirrhosis and liver cancer if left unmanaged.