Finn Jarle Rode, the executive director of The Hepatitis Fund said eradicating viral hepatitis in high-burden nations by 2030 will require spending over $7 billion yearly.
While fielding questions from newsmen at the sidelines of the African Hepatitis Summit in Abuja, he also said the current global spending for the elimination of hepatitis B and C, is about 10 times less than what is required.
According to Rode, the annual global budget for eradicating viral hepatitis is presently just about $500 million. He added the low level of funding remains a significant barrier.
He said the African Hepatitis Summit is aimed at spurring interest locally, regionally and internationally, for donors and governments to wake up to their responsibilities and effectively fund viral hepatitis elimination.
He said that was what was done in Egypt and currently being deployed in Pakistan.
“Start locally, discuss with your government, have the approval of your head of state, and then you look for international funding. That is the way to go. That is the way it was done in Egypt.
“In Pakistan, we are doing the same now. Where the government commits, firstly and then they come and ask us ‘Can you come to our country?’ bring international donors. We then bring it to the table and see what you can bring in terms of matching sort of funding. It is not new, but it’s a very high leveraging opportunity,” he said.
Rode said prevention of mother-to-child transmission of hepatitis B and C services is the most important activity the fund supports, adding that 70 to 80 % of the funds go to programmes focused on it.
In accordance with Universal Health Coverage (UHC) and the World Health Organization’s (WHO) agreements and guidelines, Rode counseled Nigeria to fortify its national health plans for the elimination of viral hepatitis. He continued by saying that the elimination of viral hepatitis in Nigeria by 2030 would require political resolve at all governmental levels.
