GOVT ACTS TO END HEPATITIS BY 2030

BY ADRIAN MWANZA GOVERNMENT has put in place strategies aimed at eradicating hepatitis by the year 2030. Ministry of health permanent secretary for Technical Services, Kennedy Malama, said Government was striving that the country could be hepatitis free by 2030. Dr Malama was speaking during the launch of the World Hepatitis day in Lusaka yesterday. He said that over 3 million people globally had been diagnosed with hepatitis. ‘’Hepatitis B and C cause over a million deaths world-wide and the major problem is mostly due to late diagnosis by patients  who do not suspect,’’ he said. He said a study carried out from 2004-2020 indicated that that blood donations and transfusions were a major contributor. Dr Malama also said that unprotected sex was also a contributor and that it was discovered that in 5 million HIV positive and hepatitis patients, 1.2 million developed liver cancer. He said Government had put up programmes like caccinating babies and also strengthening public health approach using primary health system. Dr Malama said that Government had noted that police officers, firemen and paramedics were at high risks of contracting hepatitis because they dealt with people’s fluids. He said hepatitis in all forms was the major contributor of liver cancer and that people needed to undertake check-ups.