Hepatitis B and C in the Armed Forces of Ukraine: Why Cases of Viral Hepatitis Are Being Diagnosed More Frequently in the Military
The problem of viral hepatitis has already become a systemic issue within the Ukrainian military. And this is to be expected, as it is a systemic problem in society.
“There are indeed many cases, as confirmed by both civilian and military doctors. For obvious reasons, there are no publicly available statistics on cases within the military,” says Fedir Lapiy, an infectious disease specialist and head of the National Technical Group on Vaccination.
According to estimates by the Public Health Center of the Ministry of Health of Ukraine, as of January 1, 2021, 5% (2,070,936 citizens) in Ukraine were infected with viral hepatitis C, of whom 3.6% (1,491,074 people) had chronic viral hepatitis C. It is no surprise that this problem has “spilled over” from civilian life into the military.
Where are the gaps in the system, and how can military personnel and combat medics protect themselves and their comrades from this dangerous disease?
