A public health specialist with the National AIDS/STISControl Programme, Federal Ministry of Health, Celement Adesigbin says themajor challenges of viral hepatitis remain awareness creation and access tocare and treatment. Adesigbin, who is also the National Desk Officer, NationalAIDS/STIS Control Programme said there was lack of awareness about prevalenceof chronic viral hepatitis in Nigeria in addition to lack of proper methods andtarget population for screening and medical management of chronic hepatitis Band C. He said this probably contributed to the continued transmission of thedisease. He noted that there was also relatively poor awareness aboutthe infections among health-care providers, social-service providers, and thegeneral public. Adesigbin said there was availability of a preventivevaccine and active antiviral treatments that stopped the disease progressionand reduced the risk of hepatocellular carcinoma. He explained that the ministry and World HealthOrganisation, WHO were leading other stakeholders to create more awareness onviral hepatitis and give nationwide visibility to eliminate the deadly diseasein Nigeria.