Hepatitis B: How Much Does it Cost to Manage in Nigeria?
Imagine an enemy that you can live with in the same house for years without knowing. This is the situation of people living with hepatitis B infection. A liver disease caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV). The illness can be prevented by taking three doses of the hepatitis vaccine, also known as hepb vaccine. Most patients ask, “hepatitis b is it curable?” Presently, there is no cure, so infected individuals will need to manage their health for an extended period. About 20 million Nigerians are living with the virus. Nine out of 10 don’t know they have it. These patients will need to manage their health through regular check-ups, a balanced diet, and the use of medications. This article presents the financial implications of hepatitis B treatment in Nigeria, drawing on research findings done in the country.
Cost of hepatitis B management in Nigeria
The National Financial Burden
According to Dr. Godwin Ntadom, Director of the Public Health Department at the Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH), the country’s collective expenses on hepatitis range between 13.3 and 17.9 trillion Naira. But the question the average Nigerian asks is: What does it cost me to manage a long-term HBV infection?
The Patient’s Burden of Hepatitis B
To understand the financial weight of this disease, we have categorised the costs into direct medical, direct non-medical, and indirect costs based on recent research estimates.
- Direct Medical Costs (#1, 413, 090 or $933/year)
These are the expenses strictly related to clinical care. For a person living with HBV, this includes:
- Hospital registration and doctor consultation fees.
- Antiviral and liver-protective medications.
- Crucial laboratory tests such as Hepatitis B DNA viral load, serology, liver function tests, and abdominal ultrasound scans.
- Direct Non-Medical Costs (# 202, 215 or $133/year)
Treatment doesn’t happen in a vacuum. These are the “hidden” out-of-pocket expenses, including transportation to clinics, meals during hospital visits, and the costs incurred by caregivers or family members accompanying the patient.
- Indirect Healthcare Costs (#640,095 or $421/year)
This represents the “opportunity cost” of the disease. It quantifies the economic loss when a patient is unable to work or spend time productively due to illness or fatigue.
With an estimated total of $ 2,246,978 or $1,487 per year, managing Hepatitis B is a significant financial burden. For many Nigerian families, this amount is high enough to drive them into poverty as they battle to save the life of a loved one.
Conclusion
Managing this liver condition in Nigeria is undeniably a costly endeavour. It requires a significant out-of-pocket expenditure that most individuals cannot sustain over the long term.
The most financially sound strategy is prevention using solutions like hepatitis b vaccination or hep b vaccination. It saves both money and lives. To understand how to protect yourself and your family from this financial and physical burden, you can consult with the doctors at Inocul8 today.