By Issah Olegor
The Ministry of Health has named celebrated Ghanaian musician Okyeame Kwame as the country’s National Hepatitis Ambassador, as Ghana steps up efforts to eliminate viral hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030.
The announcement was made during this year’s World Hepatitis Day commemoration, where the Ministry of Health and the Ghana Health Service unveiled a series of new interventions aimed at reducing new infections, expanding access to testing and treatment, and increasing public awareness about the disease.
Held under the global theme “Hepatitis: Let’s Break It Down,” the event brought together health experts, policymakers, development partners and stakeholders to strengthen response to viral hepatitis, which continues to affect millions of people across the country.
Speaking on behalf of the Minister for Health, the Ministry’s Chief Director, Desmond Boateng, described hepatitis as one of the major public health challenges, stressing that eliminating the disease will require sustained political commitment, stronger partnerships and active public participation.
He announced that government will roll out the Hepatitis B birth-dose vaccine nationwide to ensure newborn babies receive protection against the virus immediately after birth, a move health experts say could significantly reduce mother-to-child transmission.
Boateng also urged Ghanaians to undergo regular hepatitis screening, emphasising that early diagnosis remains one of the most effective ways to prevent severe liver disease, liver cancer and premature deaths associated with hepatitis infections.
Director-General of the Ghana Health Service, Dr. Samuel Kaba Akoriyea, disclosed that the Service is integrating hepatitis prevention, screening, diagnosis and treatment into primary healthcare delivery to make essential services more accessible to communities across the country.
Health specialists at the event painted a worrying picture of the disease burden in Ghana.According to estimates presented during the programme, approximately three million Ghanaians are living with Hepatitis B, while more than 500,000 people are infected with Hepatitis C, highlighting the urgent need for intensified public education, expanded testing and timely treatment.
One of the highlights of the ceremony was the official appointment of Okyeame Kwame as Ghana’s National Hepatitis Ambassador.
The award-winning musician has spent more than 15 years championing hepatitis awareness through nationwide advocacy campaigns and free community screening exercises.
In accepting the appointment, Okyeame Kwame also unveiled a new hepatitis awareness song aimed at encouraging more people to know their status, seek early treatment and help eliminate the stigma often associated with the disease.
His appointment is expected to strengthen public education efforts by using music, celebrity influence and community engagement to promote behavioural change and encourage more Ghanaians to undergo voluntary testing.
As part of measures to strengthen national coordination, the Ministry of Health also inaugurated a National Viral Hepatitis Technical Working Group.
The body will coordinate policies, provide technical guidance and oversee implementation of Ghana’s strategy to achieve the World Health Organization’s target of eliminating viral hepatitis by 2030.
Development partners and representatives from the health sector reaffirmed their commitment to supporting the country’s hepatitis response by expanding access to testing, vaccination, treatment and public awareness programmes.
Viral hepatitis remains one of the world’s leading causes of liver disease and liver cancer, claiming hundreds of thousands of lives annually despite the availability of effective vaccines and treatment for some forms of the disease.
