Over 20,000 newborns die from hepatitis B yearly
Says Prof Nurul Islam
Although hepatitis B is easily preventable through vaccination, about 1.5 lakh newborns in Bangladesh get infected with its virus and 20,000-23,000 die from it yearly, said National Professor Nurul Islam at a conference in the capital yesterday.
“Although liver diseases pose a big problem to the country's health, many of these diseases can be prevented by improving personal hygiene and sanitation,†he said at the inaugural ceremony of the “2nd International Hepatology Conference†held Hotel Sonargaon.
Bangladesh Hepatology Society organised the conference.
Nurul Islam also suggested proper checking before blood transfusions, refraining from using used syringes, avoiding contaminated food and water and creating awareness about management of medical wastes to prevent these diseases.
Professor Mobin Khan, president of Bangladesh Hepatology Society, said creating mass awareness about liver diseases is crucial as five to eight percent of our population is infected with hepatitis B.
He added that the government has launched separate departments of Hepatology at eight public medical colleges to address liver diseases, but there is a need to strengthen these departments.
Liver experts from the UK, Japan, and other countries presented papers in the daylong conference. The challenges of liver related problems and latest developments in the field of Hepatology were discussed in the papers.
About 1,000 specialists in medicine, surgery, gynaecology and obstetrics and other allied specialties from all over the country participated.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
Comments