Friday 16 March 2018

Medical Politics and Neo-liberal Deceit : Who is behind Hepatitis B scare mongering in Nigeria: 20 million Nigerians are infected with hepatitis B — Experts: More Nigerians are contracting it because of poor hygiene. Many Nigerians still go to hairdressing and barbing salons without their manicure, pedicure or barbing kits

The fear of man brings a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe(Proverbs 29:25)

 Image result for Fake Hepatitis drugs in Uganda

…Cursed be the MAN that trusts in MAN….(Jeremiah 17:5) 

Fake Capitalism : The Curse of trusting man in corrupt neo-liberal systems : Ugandans Immunized with fake hepatitis B vaccines

http://watchmanafrica.blogspot.ug/2018/03/the-curse-of-trusting-man-in-corrupt.html 

20 million Nigerians are infected with hepatitis B — Experts

http://punchng.com/20-million-nigerians-infected-hepatitis-b-experts/ 

Bukola Adebayo
Doctors have called on the Federal Government to declare hepatitis B a health emergency as it did with HIV/AIDS.
The appeal, they said, had become imperative to save Nigerians from health complications associated with the disease.


Bukola Adebayo
Doctors have called on the Federal Government to declare hepatitis B a health emergency as it did with HIV/AIDS.
The appeal, they said, had become imperative to save Nigerians from health complications associated with the disease.


According to a Consultant Gastroenterologist with the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba, Lagos, Dr. Olufunmilayo Lesi, Nigeria has one of the highest prevalence of hepatitis B infections in the world.
She noted that with a national prevalence of 10 per cent, no fewer than 20 million Nigerians were living with the disease.
Lesi said, “Hepatitis B is very common in Nigeria. The national prevalence is between 10 and 15 per cent. That means that about 20 million Nigerians are living with Hepatitis B.
“This is also very high when you compare it to other countries and the worst part is less than five per cent know that they have the disease.”
The specialist also noted that the low level of testing among Nigerians was a cause of concern, as the disease was three times more infectious than HIV/AIDS.
According to Lesi, hepatitis B is one of the most infectious viruses in the world even as it leads to liver failure, cancer and untimely death in infected persons.
She added, “I run the hepatitis clinic in LUTH and I see many young men and women with liver cancer, which is the product of untreated hepatitis B infection.
“I see many patients with big stomachs, who have liver disease because they had hepatitis B. Most of them got it when they were young and because they did not go for test; they have lived with the infection for over 20 years. This is why it is called a silent killer. By the time you see the symptoms like swollen feet or stomach, the liver is already damaged.’’
She identified poor socio-cultural and unhygienic practices as factors that had increased its rate of infection in the country.
She added, “I want to address the myth that hepatitis B is mostly transmitted through sex. More Nigerians are contracting it because of poor hygiene. Many Nigerians still go to hairdressing and barbing salons without their manicure, pedicure or barbing kits. They share objects with people they do not even know. Some people still give tribal marks to children with unsterilised needles. This is how infections spread and it is dangerous.” She stated.
Meanwhile, stakeholders, who spoke at the 9th Scientific Conference and Annual General Meeting of the Society for Gastroenterology and Hepatology in Nigeria, have called for massive screening and vaccination of Nigerians against hepatitis B to ensure the eradication of the disease.
According to a former Head of State, Gen. Yakubu Gowon (retd), statistics show that many Nigerians are not aware of the deadly nature of the disease.
He, therefore, advised the government to adopt previous strategies used in the eradication of guinea worm and the Ebola Virus Disease in tackling the spread of the disease.
Gowon said, “Hepatitis in Nigeria is a health emergency. Its national prevalence is three times more than that of HIV/AIDS and diabetes. We should fight it as we fought guinea worm, Ebola and as we are fighting polio infections.”
He also urged other political leaders to embark on fact-finding missions to rural areas before implementing any health programme.
According to him, visits to rural communities will serve as eye-openers for policy makers, whom, he says are usually disconnected from the people.
He noted, “While I was serving as the ambassador for guinea worm eradication in Nigeria, I had the opportunity to visit rural communities across the country. I saw the level of poverty among Nigerians in these communities. I think all leaders should make such unannounced visits, this will motivate them to do all they can to bring succour to their people.”

Hepatitis B Is A Killer: 5 Important Facts You Should Know

https://www.nigerianbulletin.com/threads/hepatitis-b-is-a-killer-5-important-facts-you-should-know.111392/

Discussion in 'Health, Lifestyle & Lifeline' started by drwale, May 7, 2015. Views count: 22828



Hepatitis B is one of the top killer diseases in the world today. There are over 750000 deaths annually that are attributed to Hepatitis B. Several risk factors are said to be responsible for the high prevalence of the disease. In order to protect yourself and family from Hepatitis B, you need to know the causes of the disease and how it can be prevented or treated.

hepB.jpg

Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver as a result of infectious agents (especially viruses), toxins, herbs, alcohol and so on. Specifically, hepatitis B virus (HBV) is the cause of hepatitis B. Some of the other common viruses that cause hepatitis are Hepatitis A, C, D and E. It's worthy of note that this dreaded infection is mainly transmitted through body fluids such as blood, vaginal secretions and semen.

Hepatitis B infection is a global healthcare problem with particularly high prevalence in developing countries viz sub-Saharan Africa and South-east/Central Asia. Statistically, about 350-400 million individuals worldwide suffer from chronic hepatitis B virus infection which is a dominant cause of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The risk factors of Hepatitis B include unprotected sexual intercourse (especially at an early age), intravenous drug abuse, unsafe blood transfusion, homosexuality and perinatal transmission from an infected mother to her baby. Information is power, hence it is pertinent to shed some light on certain cogent facts everybody needs to know about Hepatitis B Virus infection:


Untreated Hepatitis B Virus infection may progress to cirrhosis and/or liver cancer

This is especially true for infants who contract this virus from their infected mothers. Studies have shown that 90% of such infants eventually progress to chronic (long-term) HBV infection. However, older children and adults have about 25-50% and 5% risk, respectively of developing chronic hepatitis B infection following the acute (initial) infection. Moreover, many of those with chronic HBV infection are asymptomatic and remain chronic carriers of the virus mostly looking apparently healthy but capable of transmitting it to others. In the less fortunate ones, however, chronic infection ultimately gives way to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (liver cancer) with much worse prognosis.


Most people with HBV show no symptoms at the initial stage

The majority of people with HBV are initially asymptomatic as the disease often takes up to 1-6 months to manifest symptoms. Such symptoms range from non-specific ones like general malaise, low-grade fever, nausea/vomiting, loss of appetite, body aches to more suggestive symptoms like passage of dark-coloured urine, jaundice (yellowness of the eyes and sclera), right upper abdominal pain as well as body itching. Sadly, those who have deteriorated into cirrhosis, hepatic encephalopathy or liver cancer may come down with such complications as abdominal swelling (ascites), gastrointestinal variceal bleeding, weight loss, confusion, coma or sometimes death.


Hepatitis B Virus infection is largely preventable

The good news about HBV infection is that it is highly preventable, thanks to the advent of the Hepatitis B vaccine which arguably offers significant protection from the virus in about 95% of people who received the vaccine appropriately. In recognition of this fact, the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends at least 3 doses of this vaccine. Accordingly, the Expanded Programme on Immunization in Nigeria facilitates the administration of the vaccine to all newborns at birth, 6 weeks and 14 weeks to make up three completed doses. This, in no small measure helps to maximize the benefits of immunization and forestall the future occurrence of this lethal condition in children who received the vaccine at birth.


Thorough screening of blood and blood products

In the developing countries, transfusion with unsafe blood remains a common means of transmission of Hepatitis B virus. Hence, there is the need for relentless efforts geared towards upgrading existing health facilities in order to facilitate thorough screening of blood and blood products for Human Immunodeficiency Virus and hepatitis. This will go a long way in stemming the tides of the blood-borne transmission of hepatitis B virus in third-world countries.


Hepatitis B Virus is more infectious than HIV/AIDS

Although Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is widely believed to be the most infectious virus, research has shown that hepatitis B virus is 10 times more infectious than Human Immunodeficiency Virus. In addition, hepatitis B virus is resistant to extremes of temperature and humidity to the extent that it retains its capacity to infect unimmunized individuals even after 7 days outside the host. The implication of this for health workers is that they need to take extra precautions to avoid infection with this highly infectious yet preventable virus.
Last edited by a moderator: May 8, 2015

Fake Capitalism : The Curse of trusting man in corrupt neo-liberal systems : Ugandans Immunized with fake hepatitis B vaccines




…Cursed be the MAN that trusts in MAN….(Jeremiah 17:5) 
 

 Image result for Fake Hepatitis drugs in Uganda
The fear of man brings a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the Lord shall be safe(Proverbs 29:25)



The director in charge of product safety at NDA however said the fake vaccines have no harm onto the individuals injected but said they would not achieve the desired goal of vaccinating against Hepatitis B virus. “Our advice is for all those people who recently were vaccinated especially from private health facilities to do the process afresh from government facilities.”


 Image result for Fake Hepatitis drugs in Uganda



MPs asked the NDA board, whether they had tested the impounded drugs to find out their chemical composition and the effect on people. “Is this drug dangerous? What are the effects of the drug to the public that have already received it? Sizomu Rabbi Wambede (FDC, Mbale) wondered. NDA board Chairman, Dr. Medard Bitekerezo said that NDA found the “fake” vaccines on the market and was in the process of testing the drugs to ascertain their chemical composition.


I smell a rat but Jesus will always protect the poor Africans from Man’s wicked schemes !! Strange malaria-like disease hits Uganda: US experts to monitor deadly hemorrhagic fevers in Uganda: Oh: really: Why has Uganda become a home for all kinds of Hepatitis Out breaks ??

http://watchmanafrica.blogspot.ug/2014/02/i-smell-rat-but-jesus-will-always.html

Private health facilities administering fake Hepatitis B vaccine- NDA

http://nilepost.co.ug/2018/03/13/private-health-facilities-administering-fake-hepatitis-b-vaccine-nda/ 

National Drug Authority (NDA) has unearthed and confiscated what they termed as fake Hepatitis B drugs being administered to patients during vaccination.
Hepatitis is an infection that targets the liver and is the commonest cause of cancer globally accounting for 83 percent of the cases globally.
In 2015, government rolled out a mass Hepatitis B vaccination exercise for people aged 14 and 30 years around the country targeting over five million people from over thirty districts around the country.
According to Hellen Ndagigye, the director in charge of product safety at NDA, various privately owned medical facilities including hospitals and pharmacies around the country were found in possession of hepatitis B vaccines that are believed to be fake.
“Following a tip off in Mbarara we rolled a surveillance and we encountered counterfeit vaccines from various health facilities,”Ndagigye said.

They singled out Mbarara Community hospital,Devine Mercy,Mayanja memorial hospital, Family doctors’ clinic, Mbarara City Clinic, UMC(Bukoto),Malcom health care and Kampala medical chambers.
Norvik Enterprises Limited is the only authorised firm to import Hepatitis B vaccine to Uganda from Serum Institute in India but according to NDA, they discovered that all the fake vaccines impounded indicated they had been manufactured by the same company (Serum Institute).
“A genuine vaccine has a shelf- life of three years but most of the drugs recovered from the various private health facilities were meant to last for four or more years.”
NDA officials says they are still investigating a possibility of unscrupulous people either repacking or putting water in the bottles to disguise as Hepatitis B vaccine.
Suppliers
According to some of the invoices recovered from private health facilities whose stores were raided by National Drug Authority, the phone numbers for the suppliers and their locations were non-existent indicating they were fake and could not be traced after supplying the vaccines.
Officials also said that they will be more interested in finding out how the fake vaccines got onto the market and the people before these vaccines.
The director in charge of product safety at NDA however said the fake vaccines have no harm onto the individuals injected but said they would not achieve the desired goal of vaccinating against Hepatitis B virus.
“Our advice is for all those people who recently were vaccinated especially from private health facilities to do the process afresh from government facilities.”
Officials said government facilities get the vaccines from Norvik Enterprises which is eligible to import them from Serum Institute in India.
The public has also been warned of the various health camps by private health facilities against the fake hepatitis B vaccines.

Parliament suspends Hepatitis B vaccination in private Clinics and Hospitals

March 14, 2018

https://www.independent.co.ug/parliament-suspends-hepatitis-b-vaccination-in-private-clinics-and-hospitals/

Kampala, Uganda | GODFREY SSALI | The Parliamentary health committee has directed an immediate stop in Hepatitis B vaccination by private health facilities.
This after it emerged that there were fake Hepatitis B vaccines on the market with the National Drug Authority (NDA) impounding the counterfeit vaccines from hospitals in Kampala and other parts of the country.
In a heated meeting between the committee and officials of NDA led by the board chairman Dr.Medard Bitekyerezo, the committee said vaccines shall only be administered in government hospitals.
It furthers resolved that private hospitals and clinics shall first seek certification from government to carry out the task.

The Committee chaired by Michael Yiga Bukenya (NRM, Bukuya), Wednesday, met officials from NDA, the human and animal drugs regulator, who agreed with the MPs position.
“Private health facilities should stop vaccinating and the public should only use public health facilities,” said Dr. Bukenya.
NDA impounded the vaccines from eight private health facilities both in Kampala and upcountry including Family Doctors Clinic in Ntungamo; UMC Hospital, Bukoto; Malcolm Health Care, Kisaasi and Kampala Medical Chambers. The others were Mbarara Community Hospital, Devine Mercy, Mbarara City Clinic and Mayanja Memorial Hospital.
MPs asked the NDA board, whether they had tested the impounded drugs to find out their chemical composition and the effect on people.
“Is this drug dangerous? What are the effects of the drug to the public that have already received it? Sizomu Rabbi Wambede (FDC, Mbale) wondered.
NDA board Chairman, Dr. Medard Bitekerezo said that NDA found the “fake” vaccines on the market and was in the process of testing the drugs to ascertain their chemical composition.
However, the NDA board Chairman Medard Bitekyerezo said it is not feasible to suspend the immunization because some people have not completed their Hepatitis B dosage.
He said the public should continue with their vaccinations in the public health facilities.
“I have told you that not all vaccines in Uganda are fake. Let all those people who want to be vaccinated be vaccinated with proper vaccines under close supervision.” Said Dr.Bitekyerezo.
“We have confiscated the fake drugs in question and the testing process has begun. In the meantime vaccination in private facilities should be stopped,” Bitekerezo added.
He also said that NDA is investigating the source of the drugs currently circulating on the Ugandan market.

 

NDA seizes fake hepatitis vaccines

 
 
Written by Yudaya Nangonzi
 
 The National Drug Authority (NDA) is investigating how eight private hospitals and clinics came to sell counterfeit hepatitis B vaccines in Mbarara, Kampala and Mbale.
As inquiries proceed, the authority has asked the public to remain calm awaiting further advice. Amos Atumanya, the NDA regulatory officer who led the three-week preliminary investigation, told journalists yesterday that the fake vaccines are allegedly manufactured by the Serum Institute of India.
NDA director, product safety, Hellen Ndagije (R) displays some of the fake vaccines as NDA’s regulatory officer Amos Atumanya looks on
“We got our first complaint from Mbarara. This person got the fake labels on Mbarara street and was able to inform our regional office,” Atumanya told journalists at NDA offices in Kampala. “From that tip, we investigated hepatitis B vaccines used within Mbarara and when we found initial information, we expanded it to other parts of the country.”
More counterfeits were then seized at immunization camps in Mbale central market that were being run by suspicious individuals, and another by Sanyu Medical Centre in Katabi, Entebbe.
Affected health facilities are UMC Victoria hospital Bukoto; Mbarara Community hospital, Devine Mercy, Mayanja Memorial hospital, Family Doctors’ clinic Ntungamo, Mbarara City clinic, Malcom Health Care Kisaasi and Kampala Medical Chambers along Buganda road.
Hellen Ndagije, the NDA director product safety, said the investigating team first operated under cover.
“At first, we thought it was something small in Mbarara but later agreed to move elsewhere, and as well inform the media about these hospitals and clinics,” Ndagije said.
This vaccine is administered to immunise against hepatitis B, a deadly virus that causes potentially fatal liver disease and inflammation of the liver. Health ministry figures show that more than 3.5 million Ugandans are living with chronic hepatitis B infection.
From the 2005 screening across the country, the highest prevalence was recorded in Karamoja (23.9%); West Nile (18.5%), and Western region (10.0%). Lowest incidence was in Central (6%) and South Western (3.8%).
There are various types of hepatitis viruses; A, B, C, D and E but B is the most prevalent in Uganda. Several hepatitis B vaccine brands are approved for supply in Uganda from various manufacturers, including Serum Institute of India.
The Serum brand, according to Ndagije, is available in only two registered pack sizes; 1ml ampoules and 10ml multi-dose vials. Norvik Enterprises Ltd located along Bombo road in Kampala are the only approved importer.
The 1ml pack supplied to private concerns can be identified by a white label with two green bands, while the 10ml vial to government facilities is identified by a white label with two purple bands at the top and bottom parts of the labels, respectively.
The government vaccines also bear the words: “Government of Uganda, Not for Sale”.
Ndagije explained that the genuine 10ml vial also has batch numbers, manufacturing and expiry dates with a shelf life of three years.
“Some of the fake vaccines were found with no manufacturing dates while others had four-year expiry dates. In other cases, the shelf life showed two years and below instead of three years,” Ndagije said, adding that markings on the vial would also easily be rubbed off.
All facilities found with fake vaccines had bought from unlicensed dealers with fake addresses on invoices/receipts. UMC Victoria hospital’s head of marketing, Mukesh Meharwal, yesterday declined to comment but gave his phone to another male staff.
“UMC doesn’t deal with fake drugs and suppliers. It is true we were found with the 10ml vial [meant for government facilities] and the 1ml. But when a person comes, we use the 1ml and only use the 10ml in medical camps,” the unidentified staffer said.
Later in the evening, the hospital’s chief medical officer, Dr Edrin Jjuuko, issued a statement to assure the public that all drugs, vaccines inclusive that are used by UMC Victoria hospital are authentic and approved by the relevant authorities.”

“In regards to hepatitis B, we have administered the same to many people and a wrong vaccine would cause a negative reaction in the body.

We have parameters for testing the effectiveness of the vaccine and ascertain whether the vaccine really indeed worked or not. For hepatitis B, we do anti-HBs which if greater than 10mIU/ml will indicate immunity. We are, therefore, open to receiving any one that would like to get assurance in this regard.”
Yesterday, Ndagije appealed to all private health facilities stocking the 10ml multi-dose vials manufactured by Serum to immediately stop using them and take them to the nearest NDA office from where they will be collected for testing.
“People that have been vaccinated from the affected facilities need to stay calm until we give our final results. But if we find that all the three doses were counterfeit, you will have to repeat the cycle again,” she said.