The Member of Parliament for Nabdam and Chairperson of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Health, Dr Mark Kurt Nawaane, has called for urgent and sustained action to tackle viral hepatitis in Ghana.
Dr Nawaane made the call in a statement delivered in Parliament on behalf of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Health to commemorate World Hepatitis Day 2026.
This year’s World Hepatitis Day is being observed globally under the theme, ‘Let’s Break It Down,’ a theme he described as timely and compelling.
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According to the Nabdam MP, the theme highlights the need to remove the barriers that prevent millions of people from accessing hepatitis prevention, diagnosis and treatment.
He noted that viral hepatitis remains one of the leading causes of death from infectious diseases worldwide, claiming more than one million lives annually.
Even though hepatitis is preventable and treatable, Dr Nawaane said the disease continues to affect millions of people silently because many do not know their status until they develop serious complications, including liver cirrhosis and liver cancer.
Dr Nawaane identified hepatitis B as a significant public health challenge in Ghana.
He said it is estimated that approximately one in every eight Ghanaians is living with chronic hepatitis B infection, putting millions of people at risk of severe illness if they are not diagnosed and linked to appropriate care.
However, he expressed concern that access to screening and treatment remains beyond the reach of many people, particularly those living in rural and underserved communities.
The MP said the theme, “Let’s Break It Down,” should translate into practical action to address the various challenges confronting the fight against hepatitis.
He called for sustained public education to tackle ignorance about the disease and urged stakeholders to work towards eliminating the stigma that discourages people from seeking testing and medical care.
Dr Nawaane also called for action to address financial barriers that make hepatitis testing and treatment unaffordable for many Ghanaians, as well as systemic barriers that limit access to essential healthcare services.
As legislators, Dr Nawaane said Parliament has a responsibility to champion policies and budgetary allocations that strengthen hepatitis prevention and control programmes.
He called for greater investment in routine hepatitis screening programmes and support for universal access to hepatitis B vaccination.
He stressed the importance of ensuring timely hepatitis B birth-dose vaccination for newborns as part of efforts to prevent new infections.
The MP also urged the government and relevant stakeholders to ensure that effective hepatitis treatment becomes affordable and accessible to all Ghanaians.
Ghana, he said, must move beyond commemorating World Hepatitis Day and take deliberate steps towards eliminating viral hepatitis as a public health threat.
As Ghana joins the rest of the world to commemorate World Hepatitis Day 2026, Dr Nawaane urged the country to focus on breaking the barriers that continue to fuel the spread and impact of hepatitis.
He called for greater public awareness, increased access to screening, improved vaccination coverage and affordable treatment.
“Let us break down the barriers, break the silence, and break the cycle of hepatitis transmission and preventable deaths,” Dr Nawaane said.
He expressed confidence that with stronger political will, sustained investment and collective action, Ghana can make significant progress towards eliminating viral hepatitis.
“Together, we can eliminate hepatitis. Together, we can save lives,” he added.