Raising awareness about Hepatitis

Hepatitis virus is a silent killer. Its prevalence in Bangladesh is significant. According to the World Health Organization, approximately 10 million people in Bangladesh are infected with hepatitis B and C viruses. According to unofficial data, over 20,000 people die from hepatitis annually in the country. The most alarming fact about hepatitis is that 9 out of 10 people infected with hepatitis B and C viruses worldwide are unaware of their infection.

To raise awareness, the World Hepatitis Alliance initiated World Hepatitis Day on July 28, 2008. In 2011, the World Health Organization recognized this day, and since then, it has been observed annually on July 28. Like other countries, Bangladesh also observed this day with due importance last Sunday (July 28). On this occasion, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina stated that 1.3 million people die globally each year due to hepatitis, and this number is continuously increasing. Hepatitis is a leading cause of liver cancer, making it essential to create widespread public awareness to achieve the goal of eliminating hepatitis.

In the context of Bangladesh, it is evident that public knowledge and awareness about hepatitis are very low. Hepatitis is commonly known as jaundice among the general population in Bangladesh. In reality, hepatitis is a viral liver disease. There are five types of hepatitis in medical science. Hepatitis A and E are short-term liver diseases that can recover with rest. However, infections from hepatitis B and C viruses are life-threatening. Additionally, many affected individuals do not receive proper treatment. A large number of hepatitis patients in Bangladesh resort to quack treatments like charms and holy water.

Although hepatitis is a preventable and treatable disease, a lack of awareness leads to premature deaths for many. Doctors report that it silently spreads from one person to another. It can be transmitted through shaving at salons with razors, drug injections using syringes, tattooing, ear and nose piercing, blood transfusions, and sexual intercourse. Hepatitis A and E viruses spread through food and water. Experts also note that there is a risk of transmission from an infected pregnant mother to her child.

To prevent the risk of hepatitis virus, pregnant women should be tested at the beginning of pregnancy. Administering the first dose of the hepatitis B vaccine to the mother after 12 weeks of pregnancy and to the newborn within 24 hours of birth reduces the risk for both. Professor Dr. Mohammad Ali, Secretary-General of the National Liver Foundation of Bangladesh, emphasizes the need to raise public awareness about hepatitis transmission.

However, the vaccination for children begins at one and a half months, leaving them unprotected during this period. For mothers infected with hepatitis B virus, newborns should receive an immediate and permanent protection by administering both the hepatitis B vaccine and immunoglobulin injection at birth. Awareness campaigns through school health programs should be conducted to promote hepatitis testing and vaccination in schools. Media should also play a significant role in spreading awareness. We urge the government to take more proactive measures to raise awareness about hepatitis.