Christopher Abio Ayuure, Senior Health Promotion Manager at the Ghana Health Service in the Kasena Nankana Municipality, has urged the public to take viral hepatitis seriously by getting screened regularly and taking advantage of the Hepatitis B vaccine to protect themselves against the disease.
Speaking on the Big Mike Breakfast Show on Thursday, July 30, as part of activities to mark Viral Hepatitis Awareness, Ayuure explained that Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C are both dangerous viral infections that affect the liver but differ in terms of prevention and treatment.
“The names B, C and the others are just letters to differentiate the viruses. They do not mean one is more dangerous because of the letter it carries,” he explained.
According to him, Hepatitis B has a vaccine that can protect people from infection, but once a person develops chronic Hepatitis B, it cannot be cured.
“Hepatitis B has got a vaccine that you can take to protect yourself. The C hasn’t got a vaccine. When you get Hepatitis C, it has treatment, but the B does not. You only manage it,” he said.
Ayuure cautioned people living with Hepatitis B to avoid alcohol, smoking and other habits that could further damage the liver and increase the risk of liver cancer.
He said the virus is commonly transmitted through contact with infected blood, unprotected sexual intercourse, sharing razor blades, clippers and other sharp instruments, mother-to-child transmission during childbirth, unsafe injections and traditional practices involving unsterilised instruments.
“If I have Hepatitis B or C and I use a blade that comes into contact with my blood, and another person uses the same blade, the virus can be transmitted,” he cautioned.
He also advised the public to exercise caution when assisting accident victims if they have open wounds, explaining that direct contact with infected blood could expose them to the virus.
On the symptoms of viral hepatitis, he said infected persons may experience persistent tiredness, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, yellowing of the eyes and skin, dark urine, pale stools and unexplained weight loss.
“You may feel extremely tired without doing any strenuous activity. Your eyes may become yellowish, your urine becomes very dark, your stools become pale, and some people also experience unexplained weight loss,” he said.
Christopher encouraged the public to seek early medical attention whenever they notice these symptoms, stressing that regular screening, vaccination against Hepatitis B and adopting safe health practices remain the most effective ways to reduce the burden of viral hepatitis.
Mike 105.3FM I Navrongo | Elizabeth Apusaama
