World Hepatitis Day tomorrow

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DHAKA, July 27, 2017 (BSS) – Bangladesh will join the global community in observing the World Hepatitis Day tomorrow for raising awareness against the deadly virus.

The day is observed every year on July 28 to increase awareness of different forms of hepatitis and methods of prevention and treatment.

This year’s theme of the day is ‘Eliminate Hepatitis’ as envisioned in WHO’s first “Global health sector strategy on viral hepatitis 2016-2021”, and included as the final target for hepatitis in the Sustainable Development Agenda 2030.

President M Abdul Hamid, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Health and Family Welfare Minister Mohammad Nasim, in separate messages, called for creating awareness among the people to prevent the disease.

In his message, President M Abdul Hamid said the number of liver patients is increasing in our country for lack of knowledge about prevention.

Liver is an important organ of human body, so people should be more conscious to take care of it, he said adding the observance of the day will help increasing awareness among people.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in her message urged the government and non government organizations to increase awareness of the different forms of hepatitis, and how they can be prevented and treated.

She said the government is always sincere to reach the updated healthcare facilities at the doorsteps of people. “The government is giving more attention in health sector so that the poor people can get modern treatment,” she said.

“The observance of the Day would play a vital role to eliminate the disease and attain the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) within 2030,” she said.

The health minister in his message said only by increasing awareness of the different forms of hepatitis and how they can be prevented and treated, we can take the first step towards full control of the disease and save thousands of lives.

The President, Prime Minister and Health Minister wished successful observance of the day and hoped that the initiative would help raise awareness among people on the deadly disease.

In Bangladesh, government and different non-government organizations have chalked out various programmes, including seminars, a rally and health campaigns, to observe the Day.

To mark the Day, Communicable Disease Control (CDC) organised a scientific seminar today at MIS auditorium of Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) at city’s Mohakhali.

The National Liver Foundation of Bangladesh (NLFB) would organize a day-long programme tomorrow.

It will organize a rally from Shaheed Minar to Krishibid Institution of Bangladesh (KIB), Khamarbari and organise a seminar on World Hepatitis Day at 10 am (KIB) auditorium.

A conference would be organised for Hepatitis B and C patients at 5 pm in KIB auditorium.

Newspapers will publish special articles, while television and radio channels will air programmes highlighting significance of the day.