Dr. Anthony Lupai, Director-general of Juba Teaching Hospital. | Photo: Jenifer Nyling

The Director-general of Juba Teaching Hospital said the economic status of many people in the country can’t meet the cost of some of Hepatitis’s drugs from pharmacies.

Dr. Anthony Lupai said the challenge facing many hepatitis patients is the high cost of the drugs, which they cannot afford to buy.

“The social economical status of the people in the country can’t meet the cost of some of this drugs according to pharmaceutical survey, so these are the challenges that people need to see,” he said. 

During his remakes on the World Hepatitis Day on Thursday, Dr. Lupai said the challenge will affect the fight to contain the Hepatitis virus.

He added that there are needs for them to far, as it’s a concern for easy availability of the drugs and afforded by the locals.

“We need to go some step far at high level addressing the economic status and availed food forward, there is need for the government to provide this viral drugs so there easy available for the locals to get them at the lost cost,” said Lupai.

According to health officials, South Sudan does not have recorded data on the Hepatitis virus.

However, from 2019 to 2021, the Ministry of Health recorded 2833 cases of Hepatitis E, and 24 deaths, at the Internally Displaced Persons Camps in Unity State.

Dr. Fabian Ndenzako, the World Health Organization Representative in the country, assured the government of their commitment to assist in reducing Hepatitis infections by 90 percent in the country.

“We are committed to reduce new infections of Hepatitis B and C by 90%, we are also committed to reduce Hepatitis related death from liver cirhosis and cancer by 65%,” said Dr. Fabian.

Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver and has five main types inclusive of A, B, C, D, and E with Hepatitis B and C leading to chronic disease in hundreds of millions of people globally.

Hepatitis B is a sexually transmitted viral disease that develops into a chronic disease, matures into cancer, and can cause death if not treated at an early stage.

As of 2019, an estimated 116 million people in the Western Pacific were known to be living with hepatitis B and 10 million with hepatitis C.

World Hepatitis Day is celebrated every 28^th of July, and this year’s theme is, “Bringing Hepatitis care Closer to you.”