World Hepatitis Day - Eliminate of Viral Hepatitis
“GETTING TESTED EARLIER
= STAYING HEALTHIER LONGER.”
World Hepatitis Day is celebrated on 28th July
every year, as this day brings the world together under an umbrella to raise
the awareness for this global disease.
Hepatitis is one of the leading causes for death worldwide,
accounting 1.34 million deaths every year that’s as many as HIV/AIDS,
tuberculosis or malaria. And with a
recent research, it has proven that together hepatitis B and Hepatitis C cause
almost 80% of liver cancer cases in the world in a year.
Anyone can be at the risk of hepatitis as it is a global
epidemic disease. Hepatitis B and C can be transmitted through infectious blood
or through contaminated needles or syringes (people who inject drugs) and
through unsafe sex also. The disease can further pass on from infected mother
to the new born also.
In acute hepatitis cases the symptoms may be as follow
-yellow discoloration of eyes, vomiting, fever, pale stool, dark urine, etc.
For these cases, supportive treatment is given.
But in chronic cases anti removal drugs are given for maximum of 2
years, for the eradication of the hepatitis virus in the body.
On an average around 95% of people suffering from hepatitis,
are not aware of their infection, because of lack of awareness and access of
testing services in the countries across the globe.
For this day, World Health Organization (WHO) has introduced
new strategies to counter down the impact of viral hepatitis. With the
introduction of new strategies, there will be 30% reduction in the new cases of
hepatitis B and C and 10% reduction in mortality rate by 2020.
In year 2016, WHO has released hepatitis guidelines which
includes the testing strategies for hepatitis and will help countries to
maximize hepatitis testing, treatment and care. The basic steps taken by WHO to
eradicate hepatitis had mainly focused on the expansion of vaccination
programmes for hepatitis B, which have prevented mother-to-child transmission
of hepatitis B, blood and surgical safety and increase access in the diagnosis
and treatment of hepatitis B and C together followed by various talks on the
elimination of hepatitis.
With
the emergence of these strategies nearly 90% of population who are suffering
from hepatitis C can be completely cured within the time frame of 3-6 months.
The day is always followed by a theme and this year the theme
for the day is “ELIMINATE HEPATITIS” which provides an ideal opportunity for
joining together and raising the profile of viral hepatitis among the public
for better health conditions across the globe.
Metro Group of Hospitals is dedicated towards spreading
awareness for timely diagnosis and cure of Hepatitis.
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