Today is World Hepatitis Day—and that’s a great reason to remind you of 7 important facts about this disease and take a step toward defeating it.
Hepatitis is an infectious disease that affects the liver. It can be asymptomatic and deceive you by “attacking” other organs. Once inside the body, the virus can affect the cardiovascular, skeletal, or nervous systems, causing headaches, skin conditions, and rheumatism—in short, it disguises itself however it can. That’s why it’s so important to get tested for hepatitis regularly!
There are five main types of hepatitis virus: A, B, C, D, and E. The most dangerous of these are viral hepatitis B and C: they account for 96% of deaths from this disease.
You can get viral hepatitis if any of the following has ever happened to you:
Chances are, something like this has happened to you at least once, right? So let’s be clear: anyone can get hepatitis, and there’s nothing to be ashamed of.
Since you can get infected through a variety of everyday activities, you should get tested for viral hepatitis every year. The test is covered by the government, takes only 10 minutes, and can be done at your family doctor’s office or at specialized hepatitis testing centers.
You should also get vaccinated against hepatitis B! The vaccine protects against hepatitis D as well, which often occurs as a co-infection. If you don’t get vaccinated, you could end up with a lifelong illness: it is rarely completely curable, but it can be managed by taking medication every day for the rest of your life. So it’s better to get vaccinated once and have peace of mind. Unfortunately, there is no vaccine for hepatitis C.
Even though there is no vaccine for it, viral hepatitis C can be completely cured—on an outpatient basis and in just 12 or 24 weeks. The government provides free medication in sufficient quantities. You can also undergo treatment by purchasing medication at a pharmacy for $500–600.
If your rapid hepatitis test comes back positive, you should see an infectious disease specialist or a gastroenterologist. If you don’t want to discuss where and how you contracted the infection, you have every right to remain silent.
You can always seek advice from the non-profit organization “bcd”—it was founded by people who have already overcome the disease themselves and now help others. This organization will help you “decipher” medical referrals, choose the tests you truly need, and share discounts on these tests. They will also provide psychological support and help you get into a free treatment program. Message them on Facebook or call: 073 044 73 44
By getting tested for viral hepatitis, you’re not only checking your own status but also encouraging the government to purchase more medications for this disease and launch free treatment programs. More tests taken mean greater visibility of the problem for the government, and a stronger incentive to take action. Do your part for a good cause—after all, this is a matter of health for hundreds of thousands of people.
According to general estimates, there are 1,500,000 people with hepatitis C in Ukraine. One and a half million Ukrainians—and that’s just hepatitis C; there are also the other four types. But this is only an approximate number, since only 90,000 people are officially registered. In other words, most people are unaware of their status, allowing the disease to destroy their health with impunity and putting those around them at risk. Due to insufficient testing rates, the state “does not see” people with viral hepatitis and, consequently, “does not see” the demand for medications to treat it. Thus, by not getting tested regularly, we allow the state to fail to procure the necessary quantities of medications to combat this disease.
The more tests taken—the more medications against viral hepatitis, the more millions of healthy Ukrainians, and the greater the safety for all of us—even with cuts or unwashed hands. Get tested!
Original text of the post on the TSL: Your Family Doctor page
