‘Families should not wait until delivery before searching for Hepatitis B immunoglobulin’
A paediatrician at LAUTECH Teaching Hospital has emphasized the importance of routine vaccination and antenatal screening to prevent Hepatitis B in infants. He warned that mother-to-child transmission is a major public health concern that requires timely intervention.
Why it matters
Public health awareness regarding Hepatitis B is critical for reducing long-term complications like liver cirrhosis and cancer in children.
Add as a preferred source A consultant paediatrician at LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso, Dr Ayobami Alabi, has stressed that routine vaccination, antenatal screening, and timely administration of Hepatitis B immunoglobulin remain the most effective strategies for protecting children against Hepatitis B infection and preventing lifelong liver disease.
Speaking on hepatitis, on the sidelines of the 2026 Annual General Meeting and Scientific Conference of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Oyo State Branch, Dr Alabi explained that preventing Hepatitis B in infancy is crucial because children infected early in life are far more likely to develop chronic infection, which can later progress to liver cirrhosis and liver cancer.
According to the paediatrician, hepatitis is inflammation of the liver and can result from viruses, drugs, toxins, chemicals, and other harmful substances. However, he noted that viral hepatitis remains the greatest public health concern because of its widespread impact and potentially life-threatening long-term complications.
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