BUJUMBURA July 29th (ABP) – The First Lady of Burundi, Mrs. Angéline Ndayishimiye, accompanied by the Minister of Public Health and the Fight against AIDS, launched on Wednesday July 28, 2021 in Bujumbura, the testing campaign for viral hepatitis B for pregnant women for the prevention of mother-to-child transmission (PTME) of hepatitis.
The event coincided with the celebration of World Viral Hepatitis Day under the theme: “Hepatitis Can’t Wait, Moms Can’t Wait”.
During the celebration of the World Day dedicated to the fight against viral hepatitis, the first lady of Burundi, at the same time chairperson of the OPDAD, honored with her presence, the awareness-raising workshop for decision-makers, senior executives and officials of the ministries of Health, Finance, Solidarity and technical and financial partners on the prevention of mother-to-child transmission of hepatitis.
In her address, Mrs. Ndayishimiye called on all pregnant women to get tested for HBV in order to protect the child she is carrying. For this activity to be possible, the medical materials needed for testing must be in large quantities and available in all hospitals in the country. To that end, the first lady of the country asked the technical and financial partners to make more effort in financing that large-scale activity for Burundians since these testing materials are more expensive.
She added that the goal of combating hepatitis diseases until 2030 will only be achieved when each decision-maker has contributed to the fight by raising awareness among the ordinary people of the importance of getting tested and being treated at the same time, and on prevention.
The administrative officials are asked to sensitize the people on the testing of hepatitis, especially pregnant women, and those who test positive are asked to approach the health facilities for the treatment and the men are called upon to support their wives in the eradication of hepatitis B.
With regard to the actions already carried out by the Ministry of Health in the fight against this disease, the establishment of the national strategy to fight against viral hepatitis, the integration of vaccination against the virus of hepatitis B in the Expanded Immunization Program (PEV) of Routine from the 6th week of the child.
The major challenges encountered are in particular the insufficiency of resources allocated to the fight against viral hepatitis, the low availability and accessibility of testing and drugs. There is also the limited access of pregnant women to PTME services, the population’s poor knowledge of modes of transmission and means of preventing viral hepatitis.
In the future, the ministry responsible for public health plans to decentralize the prevention and testing services for viral hepatitis depending on the availability of resources, introduce in the routine PEV a first dose of hepatitis B vaccine at birth. In an effort to simultaneously eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV, hepatitis B and syphilis, it will make testing mandatory for future married couples as it is a sexually transmitted disease.
With regard to the actions already carried out by the Ministry of Health in the fight against this disease, the establishment of the national strategy to fight against viral hepatitis, the integration of vaccination against the virus of hepatitis B in the Expanded Immunization Program (PEV) of Routine from the 6th week of the child.
The major challenges encountered are in particular the insufficiency of resources allocated to the fight against viral hepatitis, the low availability and accessibility of testing and drugs. There is also the limited access of pregnant women to PTME services, the population’s poor knowledge of modes of transmission and means of preventing viral hepatitis.
In the future, the ministry responsible for public health plans to decentralize the prevention and testing services for viral hepatitis depending on the availability of resources, introduce in the routine PEV a first dose of hepatitis B vaccine at birth. In an effort to simultaneously eliminate mother-to-child transmission of HIV, hepatitis B and syphilis, it will make testing mandatory for future married couples as it is a sexually transmitted disease.