UI prof urges vigilance against HBV to prevent liver cancer surge

To combat the surge in liver cancer cases, Professor Jesse Abiodun Otegbayo, an esteemed figure in Medicine, Gastroenterology, and the Liver Unit within the Faculty of Clinical Sciences at the University of Ibadan, has stressed the critical need to identify and mitigate factors enhancing Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) transmission, thereby severing its connection to liver cancer.

During his inaugural lecture titled “The Human Workhorse and Microbial Afflictions: Hepatitis Its Fatal Sting and The Tragic Trajectory,” Professor Otegbayo highlighted findings from a study among unpaid blood donors at the university, revealing scarification as the primary risk factor for HBV transmission, followed by indiscriminate injections.

Notably, in 54 percent of cases, no discernible risk factors were identified.

HBV transmission, he elucidated, can occur vertically from mother to child during birth or horizontally through various means such as sexual contact, unscreened blood transfusions, dental procedures with non-sterile equipment, and contact sports.

Despite the development of a safe and efficacious HBV vaccine, its implementation, especially within Nigeria’s National Programme on Immunisation, remains suboptimal, with only 41 percent of newborns receiving the vaccine according to 2022 World Bank data.

Expressing concern over healthcare workers’ low vaccination rates against HBV, Professor Otegbayo stressed the importance of heightened awareness and vaccination campaigns, commending the University of Ibadan’s Student Union Government for its proactive efforts in screening and immunizing students against HBV.

Drawing from success stories in nations like the Gambia and Taiwan, where HBV immunisation has significantly reduced infection rates and liver cancer incidence, Professor Otegbayo cited the importance of preventive measures and early treatment of HBV-positive individuals to prevent liver cirrhosis and subsequent cancer development.

He lamented the decline in autopsy rates in Ibadan, hindering the understanding of liver cancer causes and exacerbating the looming healthcare crisis posed by Nigeria’s rapidly growing population.

With Nigeria’s fertility rate surpassing developed countries and projected to reach 401 million by 2050, urgent action is imperative to strengthen primary healthcare, implement universal healthcare coverage, and enact effective population control measures outlined in the government’s family planning blueprint.

The professor urges proactive measures and collective action to halt the insidious progression of HBV-related liver cancer, asserting that decisive action is the differentiator between success and failure in this crucial health endeavor.