Hepatitis is a general name given to a family of some viral infections of the liver. The liver is the largest and one of the most important organs in a human being. Its importance is attributed to the role it plays in the digestion process. It is the master organ as far as digestion is concerned
There are at least five different kinds of hepatitis: hepatitis A, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, hepatitis D and hepatitis E. With hepatitis B and C being more serious than the others.
Some carriers of hepatitis B or C would experience pain at the right sight of the belly. Others may not have any symptoms. Note! Pain at that position does not imply hepatitis. Thus pain at the right side of the belly is neither a necessary nor a sufficient condition for hepatitis.
The prevalence rate of hepatitis is very high in Africa relative to other continents. About 30,000,000 and 38,000,000 people in Africa are infected by hepatitis B and hepatitis C respectively. Cameroon and Egypt are the most hit countries in Africa by hepatitis B and C.
In Cameroon, about 10 %( 2,000,000people) and 12 %( 2,400,000people) of the population are infected by hepatitis B and Hepatitis C respectively. This statistics was revealed by Professor Njoya Oudou- medical doctor (Gastro-entereologist) at the Yaoundé teaching hospital (CHUY) in a conference (June 2010) that he organised in his capacity as president of .The association for the fight against hepatitis in Cameroon. He warned that Hepatitis viruses are fifty times more transmissible more transmissible than the almighty HIV virus. Hepatitis is transmitted through all the ways the HIV virus is transmitted (sex, blood transfusion, etc) and in addition through food, bacterial etc.
What is really funny about this disease is that so many people are not aware of it. Even if they do they tend to neglect it. People get sick of it and die without knowing. One of its characteristics is that it is a slow killer in most cases. Patients and their relatives tend to attribute it to witch craft due to their ignorance. Thus causing relational tension, fear and pressure within family members. Untreated hepatitis can cause cirrhosis of the liver or liver cancer.
THE WAY FORWARD
Having got basic information about hepatitis, go for screening for hepatitis B and C. In the best case your results are both negative then you would take a vaccine for hepatitis B. For a positive result, you are advised to carry out strict medical follow up which may even permit you live for as long as you ought to . Due to the very high transmissible rate of hepatitis, it is more important to screen for it than HIV. For instance if you share eating materials with an infected person, you may be infected too.
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