Move to educate public on hepatitis

24 July 2013| last updated at 12:35AM

KOTA KINABALU: The state Health Department aims to screen and educate more people on viral hepatitis during the statewide World Hepatitis Day 2013 celebration at Queen Elizabeth Hospital here on Friday.

Event organising chairman Dr Raman Muthu Karrupan said the virus, which can cause inflammation of the liver, was 100 times more virulent than the Human Immunodeficiency Virus.

"It is important for the people to know their status at an early stage as carriers usually will not show any symptom.

"Patients will come to hospital only when the virus has caused irreversible liver failure or cancer," he said, adding that cases related to hepatitis had increased the country's financial burden.

Dr Raman, who is also a gastroenterology consultant, said the public could get their screening results within a few days.

"The hospital will take action for those who test positive based on an individual's condition.

"The planning involves monitoring, vaccination and medication to prevent deterioration."

He added that the hospital would propose to screen patients' relatives as the disease was usually transmitted from mothers to children during childbirth.

"Other high-risk groups are health workers and blood recipients who are frequently exposed to contaminated blood products as well as syringes."

Dr Raman added that the ministry hoped to wipe out the disease over a period of time, particularly hepatitis B. "We have the vaccine for hepatitis B."

The state Health Department will start a registry next year to monitor and record incidence of hepatitis cases in the state.

World Hepatitis Day is observed on July 28 worldwide in partnership with the World Health Organisation.

The theme this year is "This is hepatitis. Know it. Confront it".