Exiled Tibetans Organized Hepatitis B Awareness Campaign in Dharmasala

Exiled Tibetan organized a free health awareness camp in Dharamsala, Himachal Pradesh, against the dangers of Hepatitis B.

The awareness camp was organized on the World Hepatitis Day on Saturday by the health department of the Tibetan government in-exile.

Hepatitis B-Causes-Symptoms-Diagnosis-Treatment-Vaccination-FAQs
Hepatitis B is inflammation of the liver due to infection with the hepatitis B virus.

Hepatitis B is a viral infection that attacks the liver and is a prime cause of liver cancer. The virus is spread by blood or other bodily fluids transfusions of an infected person.

An official of the Tibetan Health Department in-exile, Tenzin Sonam, said awareness was being spread through pamphlets, bookmarks and batches.

"Today, World Hepatitis Day is being organized by WHO and unlike cases in western countries, in India we have more cases of people suffering from Hepatitis B and that is why we have organized awareness creating program like distributing pamphlets, bookmarks, batches, so that we can inform people that what are the things that are going around regarding the Hepatitis B and what are the important things that we should do in order to get people free from Hepatitis B. Because it is not just a disease, it's a disease that is prevailing very fast, more like HIV," said Sonam.

Hepatitis B Virus or HBV Screening - Frequently Asked Questions
Tests used for screening hepatitis B are estimation of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg), anti-HBc and anti-HBs antibodies.

The activists informed that Hepatitis causes ailments, which result in physical consequences and has led to sufferings of many Tibetans due to the social stigma associated with the disease.

"Tibetans suffering from Hepatitis B is mainly because of our different environment in India. Because in Tibet, the environment is much stable to the people living in India, because the food we eat balance the environment we live in but in India, we have a different source of water, we live in a difference environment. Due to that food and water, we are having more cases of Hepatitis B in India. Apart from food and water, Hepatitis B is also a hereditary sort of disease," added Sonam.

World Hepatitis Day - 2012
Viral hepatitis poses a major global health risk, with approximately 240 million people being chronically infected with the hepatitis –B virus.

According to the WHO, Hepatitis-B, which spreads mainly through blood or sexual contact, affects 30 million people in India.

Source-ANI

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