Hepatitis affects 500m people globally: WHO

World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that different types of hepatitis, one of the ten life threatening deadly diseases, affects at least 500 million people around the world annually, reports BSS.
To raise awareness on different types of hepatitis and various methods of prevention and treatment, WHO observed the World Hepatitis Day every year on July 28 since 2010.
This year the theme of the day is “Prevent hepatitis. Act now”, which focuses different types of hepatitis virus: What they are and how they are transmitted; who is at risk; and the various methods of prevention and treatment.
“Viral hepatitis - a group of infectious diseases known as hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E - affects hundreds of millions of people worldwide, causing acute and chronic liver disease and killing close to 1.5 million people every year, mostly from hepatitis B and C. These infections can be prevented, but most people don’t know how,” Professor Mohammad Ali, Secretary General of National Liver Foundation of Bangladesh (NLFB) told the news
agency.
“These viruses are transmitted through contaminated water, food, infectious blood or bodily fluids, through unsafe injections...It also may occur from a mother to a child, or through sexual contact,” he said.
“These transmissions can be prevented through interventions and it is important for everyone to be aware of hepatitis to protect themselves from being infected,” he suggested.
Calling for raising awareness about the deadly Hepatitis virus, Associate
Professor of Hematology of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University Dr Mamun-Al-Mahtab said, “It’s urgently needed to raise awareness on different types of Hepatitis viruses to save thousands of lives.”
In Bangladesh, government and different non-governmental organisations have chalked out various progra­mmes, including seminar, rally and health campaigns, to observe the day.

 

Hepatitis affects 500m people globally: WHO

World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that different types of hepatitis, one of the ten life threatening deadly diseases, affects at least 500 million people around the world annually, reports BSS. To raise awareness on different types of hepatitis and various methods of prevention and treatment, WHO observed the World Hepatitis Day every year on July 28 since 2010. This year the theme of the day is Prevent hepatitis. Act now, which focuses different types of hepatitis virus: What they are and how they are transmitted; who is at risk; and the various methods of prevention and treatment. Viral hepatitis - a group of infectious diseases known as hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E - affects hundreds of millions of people worldwide, causing acute and chronic liver disease and killing close to 1.5 million people every year, mostly from hepatitis B and C. These infections can be prevented, but most people dont know how, Professor Mohammad Ali, Secretary General of National Liver Foundation of Bangladesh (NLFB) told the news agency. These viruses are transmitted through contaminated water, food, infectious blood or bodily fluids, through unsafe injections...It also may occur from a mother to a child, or through sexual contact, he said. These transmissions can be prevented through interventions and it is important for everyone to be aware of hepatitis to protect themselves from being infected, he suggested. Calling for raising awareness about the deadly Hepatitis virus, Associate Professor of Hematology of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University Dr Mamun-Al-Mahtab said, Its urgently needed to raise awareness on different types of Hepatitis viruses to save thousands of lives. In Bangladesh, government and different non-governmental organisations have chalked out various programmes, including seminar, rally and health campaigns, to observe the day.