Tanzania has joined the global community in marking World Hepatitis Day with a nationwide call for early detection and prevention of liver disease, as the Muhimbili National Hospital (MNH) launched a two-day campaign offering free hepatitis screening, liver health assessments and hepatitis B vaccinations.
The initiative aims to identify hepatitis infections early, improve public awareness and reduce the burden of liver cancer, one of the deadliest complications associated with chronic hepatitis B and C infections.
Speaking during the commemoration in Dar es Salaam, Muhimbili's Senior Consultant Gastroenterologist and Head of the Gastroenterology and Hepatology Unit, Dr Swaleh Kitabu Pazi, said members of the public would receive free hepatitis testing and liver function assessments, while those found not to be infected with hepatitis B would be vaccinated at no cost.
He said this year's World Hepatitis Day theme underscores the importance of expanding access to testing and treatment, noting that hepatitis B and C remain among the leading causes of liver cancer worldwide.
"The goal is to detect the disease before complications develop. Early diagnosis allows patients to receive treatment in time and significantly reduces the risk of liver cancer," Dr Pazi said.
He added that the campaign also targets people taking medications that could affect liver function, enabling doctors to assess liver health and initiate treatment where necessary.
Dr Pazi said an estimated 1.3 million people die every year worldwide from complications linked to hepatitis B and C, warning that many patients seek medical care only after developing advanced liver disease.
"The greatest challenge is that hepatitis often has no symptoms in its early stages. Many patients come to hospital only after they begin vomiting blood, develop fluid in the abdomen, jaundice or advanced liver cancer," he said.
Muhimbili continues to receive a growing number of patients with severe liver complications, many of whom were unaware they had hepatitis until the disease had progressed, he added.
Dr Pazi urged Tanzanians to embrace routine health screening, stressing that hepatitis B is one of the few cancers that can be prevented through vaccination.
While newborns receive the vaccine shortly after birth, adults who have never been vaccinated should complete the recommended three-dose schedule to protect themselves from infection.
Mega We Care Tanzania has partnered with Muhimbili to support the campaign by providing medical supplies, medicines and facilitating healthcare personnel for the exercise.
The company's Product Manager, Mengi Ntasimba, said Mega We Care has operated in Tanzania for more than two decades and views its participation as part of its corporate social responsibility and support for the government's efforts to combat both communicable and non-communicable diseases.
He encouraged the public to take advantage of the free screening, testing and vaccination services while they are available, saying the company would continue working with health institutions to support disease prevention and health promotion initiatives across the country.
The campaign is expected to improve awareness of hepatitis, encourage early diagnosis and strengthen efforts to reduce preventable deaths from liver disease in Tanzania.
