THEME: WORLD HEPATITIS DAY (WHD) CELEBRATION, OPENING OF VIRO-BIO RESEARCH LABORATORY AND LAUNCHING OF SIXTY MILLION NAIRA EQUIPMENT APPEAL FUND.

VENUE: VIRO-BIO RESEARCH LABORATORY, FACULTY OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES, UNIVERSITY OF CALABAR.

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A. Background information
World Hepatitis Day (WHD) takes place every year on 28 July and brings the world together under a single theme to raise awareness of the global burden of viral hepatitis and to influence real change. The elimination of viral hepatitis has now been firmly put on the map. At the 69th World Health Assembly in Geneva, 194 governments adopted WHO's Global Strategy on Viral Hepatitis, which includes a goal of eliminating hepatitis B and C in the next 13 years.

The annual celebration of the WHD is one of the primary objectives of the Nigerian Society for Virology (NSVir), and it is aimed at raising awareness of the global burden of viral hepatitis as a means of reducing its disease burden in our country. Despite the significance of this objective, and the increasing endemicity of these viruses in our country, many Nigerians remain unaware of their status. This year, our focus will be on achieving this modest goal. Last year after an extensive planning, the global lockdown due to COVID 19 virus prevented the execution of the plan.
This year the event will be limited to three states for logistic reasons. These are:

• Akwa Ibom
• Cross River State
• River State.

B. The Problem

• Viral hepatitis, mainly hepatitis B and hepatitis C, is a serious global health challenge. An estimated 257 million individuals worldwide are chronically infected with the hepatitis B virus (HBV). Globally, between 20 and 30% of patients with chronic HBV infection will develop cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma, accounting for the majority of the attributable 686, 000 deaths and 21 million disability-adjusted life-years annually. Most individuals with chronic HBV infection, however, are not aware of their infection status.
• Like HBV, approximately 80 million individuals are estimated to have chronic HCV infection, which corresponds to a global prevalence of 1.1%. An estimated 700,000 people with chronic HCV infection die each year without receiving treatment. Globally, Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) coinfection are estimated at 1–15%. Clinical evidence reveals a faster progression of the disease in coinfected patients as compared to those with mono-infection. Furthermore, hepatocellular carcinoma development appears to have higher rates in co-infections.
• In Nigeria, the prevalence of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) averages about 3.8%, with a prevalence of up to 38% in some states. Ten years ago, the HCV prevalence in the country ranged from 0% to 1%. Some studies conducted in 2019 revealed a prevalence range of 2-7% for HCV. The reasons for this upsurge are unknown, most especially in a country where intravenous drug abuse is a rare feat.
• A pilot screening exercise conducted at three universities south of the Niger in May 2021 revealed a prevalence of 6.9% for infection with HBV and 1.3% for HCV. This is extremely concerning for the nation's youth and is a ticking time bomb.
• Delayed diagnosis means that many may progress to long-term complications and are present only with an advanced disease. Expanded access to testing for HBV and HCV is critically important in order to increase the number of infected individuals aware of their status for linkage to care.

C. Printing of information pamphlets on hepatitis
This educational and prevention-focused pamphlet has been compiled and written in easy-to-understand English. We hope to translate it in the future into the three major languages of Nigeria, Hausa, Yoruba and Ibo. This year’s plan is to print 10,000 copies of this pamphlet in the English language.

Budget: It is estimated that the printing cost per copy will be N120.00 per copy. N1, 200, 000.00 is the total cost of producing 20, 000 copies.

D.Screening costs for Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) and Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) test kits
Background Information

• i. We estimate screening 6,000 people for HBV and HCV using three different brands of kits for each type of virus infection and an additional 500 kits for training and spoilage.
• ii. We also hope to do a post screening test for occult HBV and HCV using PCR (with samples collected during the screening exercise).

Budget

• Cost of kits
• i. Cost of Alere Determine™ HBsAg test kit @ N5, 900 per pack of 50= (N5900 x130) =N767, 500
• ii. SD BIOLINE HCV Hepatitis C Virus Test kit (Each pack contains 50 test kits) N200@ N6, 450.00 per pack of 50=N838,500
• iii. Screening accessories:
  • (a) Methylated spirit (2.5L containers): x 10=N45, 000.00
  • (b)Absorbent Cotton wool: 30 rolls=N15, 000.00
  • (c) Lancets (120 packets) @ N1150=N138, 000.00
  • (d) Hand gloves: 200 packets@N1, 200.00=N240, 000.00
  • (e) Whatmann Filter paper No. 1 (110 packets)@N600 =N66, 000.00

E. Talks and rallies in three state Capitals
Talks will be given in specific venues in each zone (Community leaders, political leaders, Chiefs, elders, leader of thought, youth leaders and members of the public will be invited to attend) The talk shall be interpreted in the local language and shall last for approximately 60 minutes followed, by another 45 minutes for question and answers. The talk shall be rounded up with rallies round the town with vehicles carrying public address system to disseminate the message in the local language and distribute the information pamphlets.
Budget

• i. Average Cost of hiring venues for each zone, including public address system: @30, 000= N180, 000.00
• ii. Honorarium for talk facilitators (6 facilitators): @ N6, 000.00=N36, 000.00
• iii. Hiring of vehicles in each of the zones for one day: @15, 000.00=N45, 000.00
• iv. Publicity (Radio and TV announcements in each of the zones) @N60, 000.00 per zone=N180, 000.00.

F. Remunerations for training and screening exercises
Pre-Screening training: (To be held in each zone lasting for one day)
Budget:

• (i) Hiring of venue for each pre-screening training for each zone (3) @N35, 000.00=N105, 000.00
• (ii) Honorarium for two training facilitators per zone (6) @20, 000.00) i.e. N120, 000.00
• (iii) Honorarium for 15 trainees (screening staff) in each zone (45) @N6, 000.00 =N270, 000.00

G. Post screening, evaluation and detection of occult HBV and HCV infection.
Screening for occult HBV and HCV shall be carried out at the Viro-Bio Centre for Viral Hepatology and Phytochemical Studies in the faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Calabar
Evaluation and detection of occult HBV and HCV.Post screening meetings, Data analysis and presentation of findings.

• Primers and other laboratory consumables Occult HBV and HCV screening: N400, 000.00
• Analysis of data: N150,000.00
• Post WHD meetings: N50,000.00

H. Others –Miscellaneous expenses, local transportation, logistic etc.

• Printing and dissemination of report: 150,000.00
• Publicity: N150, 000.00
• Logistic and miscellaneous expenses:N100,000.00

I. TOTAL SUMMARY OF PROPOSED EXPENDITURES

• Printing of Information pamphlets on hepatitis =: N1, 200, 000.00.
• Screening cost for Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) and Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) test kits 1. 606,000
• Screening accessories: N504, 000
• Talks and rallies, Radio and TV announcements, Hiring of vehicles etc in three states:=N441,000
• Cost of Hiring of three venues, Remunerations for facilitators, training and screening exercises staff =N495,000
• Post screening, evaluation and detection of occult HBV and HCV infection, data analysis, meetings= N600, 000
• Others –Miscellaneous expenses, local transportation, logistic etc, Printing and dissemination of report: N400, 000.
• Grand total: Five million two hundred and forty six thousand naira (N5, 246, 000.00).

J. Ethical approval:
Contacts have been made with theMinistry of Health of the respective states involved who are major collaborators for ethical approval for the success of the exercise. In addition, informed consent of each participant shall be a mandatory requirement for participation.

K. EQUIPMENT NEEDS OF NSVIR
Our Centre for Viral Hepatology and Phytochemical Studies (VHPS) is grossly in need of the following equipment for her research work.

• A. Class II Type A2/B2 Biosafety Cabinet($9,900; N5, 148,000)
• B. Biorad CFX96 Real-Time Pcr System with accessories estimatedat ( $26, 800, 000; approximately N13, 936,000 equivalent )
• C. Gel Permeation Chromatography (GPC) / Size Exclusion Chromatography (SEC)($33, 750; approximately N17, 550, 000)
• D. Thermo Scientific ISQ 7000 single quadrupole GC-MS system($22, 400;approximately N12, 320,00)
• E. 50 KVA Solar power supplysystem. (N11, 375,000)
• Grand total: Sixty million, three hundred and twenty nine thousand naira (N60, 329,000).

Call for Support:
Monetary, material or logistic support for these projects can be made to the Nigerian Society for Virology.

Kindly email: info @nsvir.org
or call the Desk officer on (+234) -0-808 218 9074, or 0909 693 2262

Monetary support should preferably be by direct transfer or cash payment into the account of the Nigerian Society for Virology held with UBA, or crossed cheques issued in the name of Nigerian Society for Virology.

Account numbers:

102 074 4905 for payment in naira
&
300 238 9230 for payment in dollars

The sort code for UBA is 033070942.
Please, for the purpose of accountability we do notaccept any form physical cash donation.

For further enquires, the Desk officer may be reached on(+234)-0-818 218 9097 or (+234)-0-907 571 5993 (8. 30 am -4.00 pm: Monday-Friday).

Hot line: (+234)-0-909 693 2262

Or Visit our Laboratory (Centre for Viral Hepatology & Phytochemical Studies) in the Faculty of Biological Sciences, University of Calabar, Calabar.

Opening hours are: 8am -5pm, Monday-Saturday.

L. Appreciation:

All donations, in whatever form shall be properly acknowledged and receipted for. In addition, unless otherwise indicated, alldonors shall receive proper publicity for their support.

Prepared by NSVir Technical Committee for 2021 WHD.