Students learn more about hepatitis and HIV/Aids |31 July 2015

S5 students of Pointe Larue school took part in an interactive session on Wednesday morning to learn more about hepatitis and HIV/Aids.

The session formed part of the various activities planned by the Ministry of Health to commemorate World Hepatitis Day.

Celebrated on July 28 each year, World Hepatitis Day serves to increase awareness and understanding of viral hepatitis and the diseases that it causes.

This year the occasion was celebrated under the theme ‘Prevent hepatitis: It’s up to you’.

The annual campaign being organised by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and World Hepatitis Alliance aims not only to raise awareness among the general public and infected patients, but also to urgently promote improved access to hepatitis services, particularly prevention interventions, by policymakers.

The Public Health Authority’s Aids programme manager Sabrina Mousbe and the nurse in charge at the youth health centre, Chantal Melanie, facilitated the session.

During the session the students learned about the use of the Youth Health Centre and the statistics of the local situation of hepatitis C and HIV cases.

Mrs Moube’s key message was: “Hepatitis is preventable, know the risks and prevent it!”

She also said that this year the focus is mostly on increasing the awareness of the general public, hence the reason why these sessions are being held in various work places, schools and other institutions.

On Tuesday, an awareness presentation was held with the workers of the Seychelles Trading Company (STC) by the non-governmental organisation HIV/Aids Support Organisation, as well as outreach activities for intravenous drug users at the wellness centre.

Yesterday awareness sessions were organised for post secondary students and police officers at the Seychelles Police Academy.

Today there will be a talk on the harm reduction programme by CDCU (Communicable Disease Control Unit) to health professionals and the last presentation will be held at the Seychelles Tourism Academy by the Aids programme and Youth Health Centre.

Viral hepatitis – a group of infectious diseases typed as hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E – affects millions of people worldwide, causing acute and chronic liver disease and killing close to 1.4 million people every year.

Transmission of this virus can be prevented through better awareness and services that improve vaccinations, blood and injection safety, and reduce harm.

Hepatitis A, B and C are the most common.

Hepatitis A is transmitted through contaminated water or food whereas hepatitis B and C are spread by contact with an infected person's blood, semen, or other body fluid.

Hepatitis B and C can be transmitted by having unprotected sex with an infected person or sharing drug needles for illegal drugs like heroin and cocaine or legal drugs like vitamins and steroids.

Getting a tattoo or body piercing with dirty (unsterilised) needles and tools that were used on someone else and getting pricked with a needle that has infected blood on it can spread the virus.

Other modes of transmission are sharing a toothbrush, razor or other personal items with an infected person.

Viral hepatitis infections do not respect national boundaries and remain an important challenge to international health.

Both hepatitis B and C affect mainly economically active adults and young people between the ages of 15 and 49 years.

Men are twice as likely to be infected as women.

The main causes of viral hepatitis, mainly hepatitis C, in Seychelles are through contaminated injecting instruments by illicit drug users. This remains the main focus of the Ministry of Health and key partners. 

A cumulative of 529 cases of hepatitis C were reported from 2002 to June 2015. A total of 43 new cases of hepatitis C were reported from January to June 2015 by the Disease Surveillance and Responsive Unit (DSRU) of the Ministry of Health.

The Ministry of Health has an effective vaccination programme against hepatitis B which started in 1995. The prevalence of hepatitis B in the general population remains low. All blood and blood products in Seychelles are screened for hepatitis B and C.

99% of hepatitis C infected persons in Seychelles also have a history of Intravenous drug use. The ministry and other concerned parties are already providing care and support services to those infected.

However we must help to make the environment more conducive for preventive interventions to take place.