ABUJA – The Society for Gastroenterology and Hepatology in Nigeria (SOGHIN) has issued an urgent plea to the Federal Government, calling for the declaration of a national emergency on viral hepatitis. This demand comes as medical experts warn that the disease—the leading driver of liver cancer in the country—is fueling a silent health crisis, further complicated by a severe lack of specialized treatment facilities and prohibitive medical costs.
The call was formalized in a communiqué released on Sunday following the society’s joint international conference in Abuja, which brought together over 400 experts from across the globe, including representatives from the United States, Europe, China, and more than 30 African nations. During the four-day summit, SOGHIN and its partners, including the African Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Cancer Consortium and the Nigerian Cancer Society, highlighted the devastating impact of hepato-pancreato-biliary (HPB) diseases on the Nigerian population.
The society expressed deep concern over the “critical deficit” of government funding dedicated to the screening, early diagnosis, and management of gastrointestinal and HPB malignancies. A particularly alarming issue raised by the medical body is the total absence of liver transplantation services within Nigeria. Because this life-saving procedure is currently unavailable domestically, patients are forced to seek treatment abroad, an option that the society noted is “completely out of reach for the average citizen.”
To reverse this trend, SOGHIN has urged the government to implement a comprehensive strategy that treats viral hepatitis as a national emergency. The society is calling for the Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare to formally integrate SOGHIN into the formulation and monitoring of national policies on digestive health. Furthermore, the medical body is advocating for heavy government investment in grassroots public awareness campaigns, the provision of subsidies for hepatitis B diagnostic tests and therapies, and the rollout of free hepatitis B vaccinations for adults.
Beyond prevention, the experts are demanding increased funding for tertiary healthcare facilities to modernize diagnostic centers and expand access to advanced technologies for managing complex conditions. Finally, SOGHIN emphasized the need for stronger collaboration between the government, the National Institute for Cancer Research and Treatment, and international partners to fund research, train healthcare professionals, and promote locally relevant clinical advancements to ensure that Nigerian patients have a fighting chance against these life-threatening diseases.
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