By Emmanuel Nyatsikor
Ho, July 28, GNA – The GOSANET Foundation, a health non-government organisation based in the Adaklu District of the Volta Region, is integrating hepatitis education into its ongoing Social and Behaviour Change Communication activities on malaria prevention across communities in the Adaklu district.
The initiative formed part of the Foundation’s commitment to promoting integrated community health interventions that address multiple public health concerns through education, prevention and community engagement.
Mr Samuel Yao Atidzah, the Executive Director of the GOSANET Foundation, on Monday disclosed this to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in an interview in Ho, as part of this year’s celebration of World Hepatitis Day.
The day is observed on July 28 every year to step up national and international efforts on hepatitis, encourage actions and engagement by individuals, partners and the public and highlight the need for a greater global response as outlined in the World Health Organization’s global hepatitis report of 2017.
The day was chosen to coincide with the birthday of Noble prize-winning scientist, Dr Baruch Blumenberg who discovered the hepatitis B virus and developed a diagnostic test and vaccine for the virus.
Mr Atidzah said integrating hepatitis awareness into their ongoing malaria campaign was a cost-effective and impactful approach to reaching more people with life-saving health information.
“Prevention through education remains one of our strongest tools,” he stated.
The Executive Director noted that as part of the campaign, trained community volunteers and health educators would conduct awareness sessions in churches, mosques, and community gatherings whilst health messages would also be disseminated through community information centres and local radio stations to ensure wider public reach.
He said the campaign would educate residents on causes, transmission, prevention, testing and treatment of viral hepatitis and the importance of hepatitis B vaccination and early diagnosis.
The others, Mr Atidzah noted, were environmental sanitation malaria prevention, early health-seeking behaviour for fever and other symptoms, and the importance of eliminating stigma associated with hepatitis.
He said: “In addition, the Foundation will continue supporting the identification of referral of pregnant women for Intermittent Preventive Treatment in pregnancy through ante-natal care services.
“The intervention comes to improve maternal and new-born health by protecting pregnant women against malaria and its complications.”
Mr Atidzah encouraged residents of the Adaklu district to take advantage of health education opportunities, attend ante-natal clinics early, sleep under insecticide treated mosquito nets every night, know their hepatitis B status through testing and to seek proper medical care.
He said: “As the world marks World Hepatitis B Day 2026, the GOSANET Foundation is calling on all Ghanaians to unite in promoting awareness, preventing viral hepatitis, strengthen malaria control efforts and protecting the health and well-being of every family.
“Together let us eliminate hepatitis, prevent malaria and build healthier communities for better Ghana.”
GNA
Edited by Maxwell Awumah/Benjamin Mensah