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InterAksyon.com
The online news portal of TV5
MANILA, Philippines - The Department of Health (DoH) warned the public, particularly those engaged in indiscriminate sex, that the danger of getting Hepatitis B is reportedly higher than being afflicted with HIV/AIDS.
Dr. Gerald Belimac, DoH national AIDS/STI prevention and control program manager, on Tuesday said that aside from HIV/AIDS, the public should be aware of the increasing number of Hepa B cases, estimated to have afflicted some 16 million Filipinos.
He said HIV/AIDS cases in the country were less than one percent of the estimated 94 million population.
"Those in sexually active population should exercise and practice safer sex to give them protection not only against HIV/AIDS but against Hepa B as well," Belimac said.
He admitted that the DoH does not have an actual registry of the Hepa B cases in the country, but has common knowledge, especially among doctors, of quite a number of cases.
"Hepa B is a viral infection so there is really no cure although there are available medicines to lessen the progress of the microorganism," Belimac said.
Accordingly, the modes of transmission of Hepatitis B are similar to HIV/AIDS, which is unlike Hepatitis A which can be transmitted through saliva or eating food contaminated with Hepatitis A virus.
People who have an active sex life, especially with different partners, are very much prone to the disease while the sharing of needles, razors and tattooing instruments as well as the use of dental tools that are not properly sterilized or disinfected are some of the major causes of transmission.
Chronic Hepatitis B leads to different infections, the most common of which are liver cancer, cirrhosis, chronic liver disease and liver failure.
At present, the DoH is giving universal vaccination of Hepa B to newborn babies to prevent mother-to-child transmission.
Also, the DoH provides Hepa B vaccination to high risk populations or the health workers.
The Hepatology Society of the Philippines, which has seen the growing rate of Hepa B in the country, supported on Tuesday the official launch of a new Hepatitis Treatment Access Program of Roche, a pharmaceutical company, held at Hyatt Hotel, Manila.
The program, timed with the celebration of the World Hepatitis Day on July 28, hopes to be able to make treatment and care available to a wider range of Hepa B patients.
