Get this
Hepatitis is inflammation (swelling) of the liver which can lead to damage of the liver and death. Death because the liver is the ultimate refinery in the body. It cleans the blood and removes poisons from the blood which is then excreted in the stool. You can, therefore, imagine if the liver is sick and not able to purify the blood, all the poisons remain in the body and do harm to the individual.
So many things can lead to hepatitis and liver damage. The commonest perhaps is alcohol but drugs and infection such as viral hepatitis can also do immense damage to the liver. Our focus is really on VIRAL HEPATITIS.
These viruses are named alphabetically as HEPATITIS A, HEPATITIS B, HEPATITIS C and HEPATITIS D. These viruses are pretty dangerous since they can cause death and severe sickness. Hepatitis A, for instance, is transmitted through eating food contaminated by stool from an infected person. The remaining viruses, Hepatitis B, C D and E are transmitted through blood and those who share bodily fluids.
Unprotected sexual intercourse is, therefore, a good way of contracting viral hepatitis.
The disease
Signs and symptoms of acute hepatitis appear quickly. They include:
flu-like symptoms
fatigue
dark urine
pale stool
abdominal pain
loss of appetite
unexplained weight loss
yellow skin and eyes, which may be signs of jaundice
The symptoms and signs resemble those of Malaria. However, the yellow eyes often point to the liver as the culprit. So do not confuse your doctor by saying, ‘I have Malaria’. It might be hepatitis so let him/her investigate with blood tests and confirm it.
Prevention
This leads me to suggest that protecting yourself and your loved ones from the infection is of high priority. We have a conservative estimate of 20 million Nigerians suffering from viral hepatitis. The vast majority do not even know that they have the disease. Therefore protection from viral hepatitis is vitally important and a task that must be done.
Help yourself to information as below:
First and foremost, vaccinate babies and children so we can raise an army of children who are immune to the disease. This immunity is lifelong and the vaccine protects them from contracting the disease. They can lead normal lives without fear of catching viral hepatitis. It also means they cannot transmit the disease to other people.
Secondly, we must inform teenagers and young people with strong campaigns that educate them about the prevalence of viral hepatitis in Nigeria. We must implore them to be chaste if possible or use protection to prevent sexually transmitted infection. Therefore, they can grow up to be important members of society.
Finally, older people should be encouraged to know their status. Do you know your status? Are you positive or negative? Have you been in contact with the facilities such as MEDICAID and FIRMCARE DIAGNOSTIC SERVICES in Abuja where you can get tested? Get tested and know if you have been exposed to the virus before or not. Those who have not been exposed to the virus should then be offered a vaccination against the infection.
For those who are positive, they are monitored and given support to protect them from suffering from liver cirrhosis and liver campaign. Treatment is still possible although the chances of eradicating the virus are slim with the length of time following the exposure. However, even then monitoring is important to prevent liver diseases such as liver cirrhosis and liver cancer.
The advocacy
The Guild of Medical Directors (GMD), owners of private hospitals in Nigeria, had thrown its weight behind efforts aimed at eradicating viral hepatitis in our dear country. The GMD chose ‘Let us make Nigeria HEPATITIS free’ as the theme for its Annual General Meeting (AGM). The Federal Ministry of Health and other professional organizations in Nigeria are also engaging the public. However, we desperately need your help in empowering everyone with information, advice, and providing treatment guidelines.
All hands must be on deck to share information and advice on this dreadful disease, silently ravaging our community. The Guild has drawn the battle lines and calling on all and sundry to stand up, step out and focus on the eradication of a disease more prevalent and more devastating than HIV AIDS.
Perhaps you will join us!