World Hepatitis Day: Challenges in hepatitis diagnosis at Juba Teaching Hospital

The head of the Hepatitis Clinic at Juba Teaching Hospital noted that the majority of reported Hepatitis cases at the facility are diagnosed at advanced stages, often resulting in fatalities.

Dr. Bino Andrea made this announcement during the commemoration of International World Hepatitis Day, observed annually on July 28th.

The head of the Hepatitis clinic at Juba Teaching Hospital emphasizes that the majority of Hepatitis cases are diagnosed at advanced stages, often leading to fatalities.

He highlights the challenges this poses in efforts to save patients.

“Initially there is injury in the liver then the patient will develop inflammation, after inflammation, there is fibrosis after fibrosis,” Dr Agai said.

“Up to the stage of fibrosis if there is any diagnosis and early care and treatment we can save patients but once it reaches the stage of liver cirrhosis now it is too late and this is what is draining us as technicians,” he said.

“Most of our patients came late so most of the time we cannot do anything about them that is why we need to take action on how to detect viral hepatitis before they develop into liver cirrhosis.”

Dr. Agai Kerbino, Acting Director for HIV/AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) at the Ministry of Health, presented hepatitis test statistics from ten states across South Sudan.

He noted that over the past three years, 10% of tests conducted nationwide yielded positive results.

“For 2022 according to the DHS 2, we have tested around 47,741 and out of these 5,017 tested positive which gives us a statistic rate of 10.5% in 2023,” Dr Agai said.

“Tests that have been carried out and reported we have 59,302 and out of these 5,842 tested positive gives a statistic rate of 10%, from January to June this year,” he said.

“So far 35,052 have been tested and out of this 3,000 have turned positive gives 8.6%.”

The event was graced by the Minister of Health, Hon. Yolanda Awel Deng

Speaking during the event, Awel called on the media to create awareness among the civil population for early intervention

“The message to the public is get tested to know your status, get treated if you get tested positive, vaccinate if you get tested negative. These three messages are very very important and am challenging our media to please help us,” Dr Yolanda said.

“We’re counting on you so that the population of South Sudan when know their status, we need to counter-help one another to live in harmony by making sure that the labelling,” he said.

“The stigma is reduced. And how are we going to reduce it, it is the positive message that the media is going to take out there,” said Dr. Yolanda.

For his part, Dr Anthony Lupai, the Director General at the Juba Teaching Hospital said the Ministry of Health chose to commemorate the Hepatitis Day to enable South Sudan to take action against the viral infection.

The Ministry of Health in partnership with the World Health Organization have gathered at the Juba Teaching Hospital to commemorate World Hepatitis Day on Monday.

The event was officiated by Honorable Yolanda Awel Deng, Minister of Health, Republic of South Sudan, with attendance from other high-level government officials, UN Agencies, Donors, academia, civil society and other partners.