28 Jul 2023

Batswana have been urged to protect themselves against hepatitis and take interest on issues of their health, including learning about the disease and all available preventative and management measures.

A press releases from the Ministry of Health says viral hepatitis is one of the most prevalent and serious infectious conditions in the world, with an estimated 354 million people worldwide living with hepatitis B or C compared to 37 million people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

The release says hepatitis, as an inflammation of the liver, can be self-limiting or can progress to fibrosis (scarring), cirrhosis or liver cancer.

It also says hepatitis viruses are the most common cause of hepatitis in the world but other infections, toxic substances, like alcohol, certain medicines and drugs as well as autoimmune diseases, can also cause the disease.

Categorised in five main hepatitis viruses of types A, B, C, D and E, it is reported that types B and C lead to chronic diseases with common symptoms of the disease including jaundice (yellowish discolouration of the skin and eyes), dark urine, extreme fatigue, abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting.

On one hand, the release further says the ministry has committed to renewed focus by the global community to end the epidemics of HIV, viral hepatitis and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) by implementing effective strategic approaches to support the Triple Elimination Initiative for Mother-to-Child Transmission (MTCT).

It says some of the prevention and control strategies include prevention of mother-to-child transmission, routine vaccination programmes for children under the age of one and at risk groups, safe sexual practices and safe blood transfusion practices.

Again, it says Botswana joins the rest of the world in commemorating the World Hepatitis Day annually on July 28, which was designated by the World Health Organisation (WHO) in 2010.

It says World Hepatitis Day provide an opportunity for education and greater understanding of viral hepatitis as a global public health problem.

Therefore, it says the commemoration aims to stimulate strengthening of the disease’s preventive and control measures by all nations around the world.

The World Hepatitis Day is held under the theme, One Life, One Liver, owing to the disease’s devastating effects on both the liver and life.

The theme, the release says, highlights the importance of the liver for a healthy life and the need to scale up viral hepatitis prevention, testing and treatment to optimise liver health, prevent liver disease and achieve the 2030 hepatitis elimination goals. ENDS