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The Sero-Behavioral Survey on HIV / AIDS in Uganda 2004-2005 showed that 1 in 10 (10%) adults in Uganda were infected with hepatitis B at this time. Time
In a record 13 years, Uganda has dropped the hepatitis B virus from a prevalence of 10% to 4.3% currently. This contrasts sharply with the time it took the country to bring down an equally aggressive virus; HIV at present 6.7%. According to data from the Uganda AIDS Commission, the prevalence rate of HIV / AIDS was 6.4% in 2004-2005 and is currently 6.7%.
It should also be noted that areas with high hepatitis B tend to have a lower prevalence of HIV / AIDS, for two viral diseases that spread in almost the same way.
In 2016, the Ministry of Health released the preliminary results The badessment of the impact of HIV on the population (UPHIA) indicated that the national prevalence of hepatitis B was 4.3% among adults (15-64 years). The study according to the report covered a total of 16,670 women and 12,354 men in districts of the country.
In terms of regional distribution, the study shows that the prevalence of hepatitis B was highest in the northern region, a region divided into North (4.6%), followed by North East (4.4%) and West Nile (3.8%). The least demanded areas are Southwest (0.8%) and Central East (2.7%).
The sero-behavioral HIV / AIDS survey in Uganda 2004-2005 showed that 1 in 10 adults (10%) in Uganda were infected with hepatitis B at that time. Like the UPHIA study, the northeastern, north-central, and western Nile regions had significantly higher infection rates than the other respondents (24, 21, and 18). %, respectively). Residents of the Southwest region had the lowest infection rate of 4%, Kampala (5.5%), East Central (5.5%), Central (5.8%) and Eastern (6.7%). This concerns a total of 6,000 respondents aged 15 to 59 years.
The raging argument is how interventions that have been important over the past five years have been able to suppress the virus at current rates described in the UPHIA results. study that was approved by the Ministry of Health in collaboration with ICAP-Columbia University and funded by the United States. Dr. Sam Biraro, ICAP representative in Uganda and coordinator of UPHIA to defend his findings, explained that: "Our research design was evaluated according to the scientific rigor by different committees of the Institute. Examination in Uganda and the United States. It was therefore adopted to be able to reasonably and accurately estimate the national and regional levels of the different conditions that were under investigation. "
Possibility of Suppression
According to data from the 2014 National Population Census, children aged 0 to 14 constitute 47.9% of the total population.The Ministry of Health indicates that since 2002, children have received the vaccine against hepatitis B as part of Uganda's Expanded National Immunization Program.This would therefore imply that children under 16, who make up almost half of the population, were protected if they had followed the recommended vaccination schedule.
The other argument is that more than 85% of adults fight infection because of the good immunity, chances are many have since developed a natural immunity against the virus.
Dr. Biraro also argues that even though it took nearly two decades for the country to bring down HIV / AIDS infections, the same criterion does not apply Hepatitis B. "Different infections or viruses react differently to interventions. That too may explain why the numbers have dropped significantly, "he says.
Jacinto Amandua, retired commissioner of clinical services of the Ministry of Health, who led interventions against hepatitis B in the country, called the effect of "dilution ".
"This shows that the interventions we are putting in place in communities have an impact and that nearly one million people add to our population each year, the virus can not be as aggressive than before, "he says. Banson Barugahare, a virologist and immunologist, argues that since the hepatitis B virus is supposed to precede HIV / AIDS, it is likely that the virus could have undergone mutation processes in order to adapt to changing environments. It can not be as high as 10% currently.
"It is impossible that the double-digit prevalence with areas such as West Nile with more than 18% prevalence can now be less than 5%. What magic have we done in the last 10 years to remove the virus? hepatitis B advocates who preferred anonymity by adding that the disease has since been politicized to the detriment of many Ugandans.
Dr. Patrick Anguzu, the health officer of Arua District in West Nile (one of the regions where prevalence was highest), however expresses his surprise at the decline drastic, he notes that a number of factors could have played out. Like Biraro, he also cites the fact that if nearly half of the population is vaccinated, it is likely that the virus has been repressed.
"We must, however, consider the dynamics that led to the prevalence The factors are then no longer at stake."
He argues that at the present time, the district would not be able to clearly evaluate the impact of interventions that have just started four years ago, including understanding how different interventions such as mbad vaccination and health education have stopped the spread of the virus and the impact on behavior.
In Nakapiripirit, Dr. John Anguzu, the district health officer says fighting stigma. pushed people away from test centers. "When we called people for mbad testing and vaccination, they came in droves. However, overtime, they withdrew because of the stigma that positive people have experienced, "says Dr. Anguzu.
Current Interventions
According to the Director, Clinical and Community Services of the Ministry of Health, Dr. Charles Olaro, explains that after "universal screening and successful vaccination" in 39 districts of Karamoja , Lango, West Nile and Teso, they have now embarked in 26 other districts in Busoga and Bugisu. The program will eventually be rolled out nationwide.
Fact Sheet
• Hepatitis B is a viral infection that attacks the liver and can cause acute and chronic diseases.
• The virus is spread by contact with the blood or other body fluids of an infected person. can survive outside the body for at least 7 days.
• About 290 million people (men, women, and children) live with infection with the hepatitis B virus (defined as positive surface antigen of hepatitis B). 9 out of 10 people living with viral hepatitis do not know it and every 50 seconds a person dies of complications of this vaccine-preventable disease
• Hepatitis B is an important occupational risk to them health workers
• However, be prevented by the safe and effective vaccine currently available.
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