The National Association of Seadogs (NAS), pyrate confraternity has urged citizens to emulate the culture of regular check up on hepatitis B and C in the course of their livelihood as well as take Vaccination for prevention if screened negative.
The Anambra Chapter President of the Association, Dr Vincent Onwughalu made the call during the Hepatitis Screening and Vaccination exercise organised by the Nnamdi Azikiwe Teaching Hospital Nnewi at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University (Unizik) Medical Centre, Awka, on Wednesday, 16th August.
According to Dr Onwughalu, “health is wealth, unlike we say in local parlance, prevention is better than cure, so I want to advice everybody to take full charge and ensure prevention of yourself and family. Come out and take the vaccine so we can protect ourselves from the attack of this virus. We cannot over emphasize the importance of being healthy”.
“I think is imperative to note that the programme has two streams, one is the Hepatitis B and C screen which is free, however the Vaccination is not free, it is being connected at a fee, like for some of us who have taken the screening exercise have gone ahead to take take Vaccination. It’s going to be a three time Vaccination, after the first one then after one month and the last in six months time.
Corroborating, Director Works Service Unit, Unizik, Engr Samuel Iyke Onwuemene maintained that there is need for a regular check up on Hepatitis, noting that patients with such disease go through a lot. While commending the exercise, he frowned at the low turn out of staff of the institution and urged those who have not taken advantage of the exercise to go to the medical centre and get screened.
Earlier speaking, the team leader Nnamdi Azikiwe Teaching Hospital, Prof Uchenna Okonkwo said the exercise was to commemorate the World Hepatitis Day which has the theme “We are not Waiting, because Hepatitis can’t Wait”, everyone should take action and get tested.
“So we are here to create awareness on the need to get tested. Hepatitis is one hundred times more infectious than HIV but a lot of people do not know about it. Our country Nigeria is on a high endemic zone, the prevalence of Hepatitis in between 9.5% to 36% depending on the region, population and this translates to up to about one ninety million Nigerians being positive and out of these numbers it will interest you to know that only one in ten of them know their status and majority don’t know because they don’t have the opportunity”.
“So we are here to create awareness among the university staff, encourage them to get screen and get vaccinated if they are negative or come to Nnamdi Azikiwe Teaching Hospital Nnewi for treatment if they are positive”.
However, Shirley Chukwurah noted that the mode of transmission includes sharing of sharp objects like nail cutter, tattoo, hair clippers, unprotected sexual contacts, blood and blood materials, mother to child birth, while Mr Osita Izunwa gave its treatment as getting screened ( positive results will require further investigation), getting vaccinated if negative and abstinence from sex.
Harley Nwadimkpa equally gave prevention practices as washing fruits and vegetables, cook food thoroughly, practice safe sex, don’t share tooth brushes or sharp objects and practice good hygiene.
News Echo reports that Hepatitis A is a serious liver disease caused by the Hepatitis A virus. People who get Hepatitis A may feel sick for few weeks to several months but usually recover completely and do not have lasting liver damage. In rare cases, Hepatitis A can cause liver failure and even death.
