By Elsie Appiah-Osei/William Fiabu, GNA
Accra, July 28, GNA - Dr Philip Nyinaku, the Project Coordinator of the Forces Liver Health Protection Project (FLiHP), has advocated the early screening of chronic diseases to enable people to know their status.
He said about 2.5 million people, representing a prevalence rate of eight per cent in Ghana, have Hepatitis B, adding; “This has necessitated the exercise we are having today with the Ghana Armed Forces and by extension the whole community,” he said.
Dr Nyinaku was speaking to the Ghana News Agency during a screening exercise launched at the 37 Military Hospital as part of activities to celebrate the World Hepatitis Day.
He said 500 people would be screened at the end of the exercise.
The day, which is marked every year on July 28, is an opportunity to add momentum to all efforts to implement the World Health Organisation’s first global health sector strategy on viral hepatitis for 2016-2021, and help member states to achieve the final goal to eliminate hepatitis.
Hepatitis B is caused by a Hepatitis B virus and can be acquired through the sharing of needles with an infected person, getting a tattoo or piercing with tools that were not sterilized, as well as the sharing of personal items like razors or toothbrushes with an infected person.
Hepatitis B infects the liver, which can have short or long term effects.
Babies and young children infected with the virus are more likely to get chronic hepatitis B.
Some of the symptoms are flu, tiredness, abdominal discomfort, fever, poor appetite, nausea and vomiting, stomach pain and diarrhoea.
Others might include; dark yellow urine, light coloured stools, yellowish eyes and skin.
As long as one has the virus, he or she can spread it to others, especially having unprotected sex with an infected person and contact with the blood and body fluids of an infected person.
GNA
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