COA observes world hepatitis day

The Centre of Awareness (COA) Ghana on Friday, 28 July joined the rest of the world to commemorate World Hepatitis Day which aims at raising awareness of the disease as well as encourage its prevention, diagnosis and treatment.

World Hepatitis Day is one of eight official global public health campaigns marked yearly on July 28 by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Speaking on this year's theme "Eliminate Hepatitis" at the Centre of Awareness in Cape Coast, the head of laboratory services of the centre, Francis Obeng Brenya, said hepatitis elimination looks quite simple but the task is very huge.

According to him, health education, medical screening and vaccination are key steps to eliminate the burden of the infection.

He explained further that the free hepatitis screening organised by the centre forms part of their social responsibility in controlling the diseases in the Central Region.

Mr Brenya told class news' Maxwell Attah in an interview that the infection spread through contact with infected body fluids. He added: "most common cause of hepatitis is through sexual contact with an infected person and blood transfusion."

He noted that, raising awareness of the different forms of hepatitis and how they are transmitted, safe sex as well as increasing Hepatitis B vaccine coverage could aid in the prevention of the disease.