By Benjamin Akoto
Sunyani, Aug. 02, GNA-The Sunyani Young and Wise Centre of the Planned Parenthood Association of Ghana (PPAG) has organised an educational and screening exercise for Hepatitis B for the benefit of 273 individuals, including 29 female sex workers in the Sunyani Municipality.
The initiative was to commemorate World Hepatitis Day celebrated on July 28th annually. This year’s theme was “One Liver, One Life “.
Speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) after the exercise, Mr Charles Owurani, the Project Assistant of the Sunyani Young and Wise Centre said the screening specifically targeted female sex workers who were at high risk of contracting Hepatitis B.
Mr Owurani said besides Hepatitis B, those beneficiaries were also screened for other sexually transmitted infections like Syphilis and Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV).
He added the members of the Sunyani PPAG Young and Wise Centre had actively engaged the young women (sex workers) involved in discussions about safe sex practices, while also distributing condoms to promote and encourage safer sexual behaviour.
Mr Owurani emphasised the vital role of the liver in maintaining a healthy life and called for accelerated efforts in preventing, diagnosing and treating liver diseases to achieve their elimination.
He cautioned the public to avoid employing the services of untrained individuals who used unsterilized tools to trim nails and instead engage the services of qualified professionals.
Mr Owurani appealed to the4 health sector policymakers, particularly the Ghana Health Service to administer hepatitis B vaccination at birth and added that hepatitis care must be integrated with HIV and other diseases that compromised the immune system.
Speaking on condition of anonymity with the GNA, a 21-year-old sex worker, praised PPAG for providing free health screening services and expressed gratitude for the opportunity to be tested for hepatitis B.
GNA