The World Health Organisation (WHO) has urged people across the globe to be mindful of their liver health, as it is a critical organ in the human body that performs over 500 vital functions every single day to keep the soul and body alive.
The apex health agency on World Hepatitis Day (WHD), which is an annual health awareness day commemorated on 28 July of every year, warned citizens around the world of the devastating effects of hepatitis, which claims over one million lives every year.
For the 2023 advocacy themed: “One life, one liver”, the health body describes viral hepatitis infection as a silent killer, with symptoms only appearing once the disease is advanced.
The WHO however assured that the disease is preventable with vaccine immunisation for hepatitis B and C.
The message reads in part: “Although there are many different types of hepatitis viruses (A to E), hepatitis B and C are the most concerning and cause nearly 8000 new infections every day, which are mostly going undetected.
“The result? Over one million hepatitis-related deaths every single year – and one new chronic infection every ten seconds. And that’s why liver health is fundamental to human health.
“So many hepatitis deaths could be prevented. Because there are vaccines and effective treatments for hepatitis B and even a cure for hepatitis C – you CAN protect yourself and your loved ones”.
Pharmanews reports that gastroenterologists are the medical specialists for the treatment of hepatitis.
Similarly, the World Hepatitis Alliance (WHA) has also decried the huge number of lives affected by the condition, saying over 350 million people live with viral hepatitis, while someone loses his life to a hepatitis related illness, at every 30 seconds.
WHA bemoaned the pitiable conditions of hepatitis patients worldwide, as most of them find it difficult to access treatment, due to the financial burden involve in getting vaccination for the condition.
Being a global network of over 300 organisations, the agency is determined to leverage the power of people and communities to eliminate hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030.
It stated “With a vaccine and effective treatments for hepatitis A and B, treatments for hepatitis D and E and a cure for hepatitis C, we can eliminate hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030.
“We believe by harnessing the power of the people and communities affected by viral hepatitis, we can accelerate action towards elimination”.
