From the Desk of Dr. Terrance Drew, Internal Specialist
Recently, I had a health talk session on ZIZ courtesy the St. Kitts -Nevis Medical Dental Association on the topic of Hepatitis B.
HepB is a virus that attacks the liver.
The liver is a latte solid organ that is stigmatised in the abiding under the right rib cage .
You can get Hepatitis B through the following ways.
=》Sexual contact
=》Injection with dirty needles ( tattoo , heroine etc. )
=》Infected mother to child
=》Sharing intimate space with an infected person .
=》Blood products transfusion
The good news is that this disease can be prevented by way of vaccination . However many in our federation do not have it .
The vaccine consists of three shots .
I recommend to all to get to know your status through a simple blood test .
It is very important to know as Hepatitis B can be deadly. It can lead to liver cirrhosis (the liver becomes hard and does not function correctly). Additionally, it can lead to liver cancer especially in black people .
The reason why I am concerned is that over the last few years I have seen a number of cases of men with Hepatitis B and liver cancer which have resulted in deaths .
To conclude, we should all practice safe sex (use condoms ) and get check- ups. So the next time you visit your doctor ask about Hepatitis B.