Las Tunas, Cuba.- Every 28th of July the World Day against the affection is celebrated. This time it promotes the motto: "It is closer than what you think". The objective is to increase knowledge about its different forms and the various methods of prevention and treatment.
According to Dr. Elena Moreno Gallego, provincial head of the prevention program, the condition is considered a silent epidemic "because most people do not know that they are infected and, over decades, they develop it slowly.
"Hepatitis A and E are food-borne and contaminated waterborne infections, while B, C and D are spread through infected body fluids such as blood, sexual contact, from mother to child during birth, or contaminated medical material," she explains.
| LEARN MORE |
Hepatitis |
| WHO Infographics |
The main actions here take place in Primary Health Care, which allow counteracting the high economic levels of treatment and protecting the welfare of the population. "We bring the recombinant hepatitis B vaccine to all children during the first 24 hours of birth.
"Then we administer them the pentavalent combination at 2, 4 and 6 months of age with reactivation at 18 months. On the other hand, the transmission of the virus from the mother to the child is prevented by means of studies of the antigen of surface to all female between 15 and 19 weeks of pregnancy, which allows the differentiated attention of newborns ".
In our country, the population under 38 years of age is immunized against hepatitis B. The safety of blood for success in medical procedures is also guaranteed. From the Primary level of assistance, the practice of safe sexual relations and the use of condoms is promoted, taking into account that some forms of the disease are transmitted in this way.
"The search of cases is carried out in different areas of health, and screening tests are available in medical institutions to detect type B and C viruses."
The Gastroenterology service of the Ernesto Guevara de la Serna Hospital has a specialized consultation to guide patients about their disease and studies dedicated to assess the degree of involvement and treatment with anti-retroviral drugs. Cases of hepatitis C are curable with these medications, while those of hepatitis B require life-long therapies.
"We are not oblivious to its behavior in the country and the world, with an increase in reactive cases, mainly the C virus," Dr. Moreno says.
Las Tunas joins the activities to celebrate the World Day against this serious condition, date that corresponds to the birth of Dr. Baruch Samuel Blumberg, discoverer of the hepatitis B virus. An opportunity to reflect on the matter and go to health centers to undergo a test if we have experienced any risk.
Infographic by World Hepatitis Alliance
Escriba su comentario
Post comentado como Invitado