Winneba (C/R), Jan 19, GNA-Mr Israel Adorbley, Programmes Manager of Numbies Foundation Ghana, a Non-governmental Organization, has called for collective efforts to eradicate mother to child Hepatitis B transmissions.
He said Hepatitis B was a Global Public Health threat that caused the most serious liver infection and the government needed to take a second look at the disease and include it in the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS).
Mr Adorbley made the call in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at Winneba on the Foundation’s goal to break the cycle of mother to child transmission of Hepatitis B in Effutu Municipality.
He said about 4.5 million people in Ghana and 300 million people worldwide were chronically infected with Hepatitis B.
The Foundation is sensitizing citizens of Winneba and its surrounding towns on diseases known as the “SILENT killer” because infected persons could be asymptomatic and might be spreading it to others unawares.
The Programmes Manager said the Foundation envisioned free “Hepatitis B- future for the next generation,” and to work towards its eradication, it conducted a survey at Essuekyir, Gyahadze and Walababa communities in Effutu Municipality.
After embarking on free testing and vaccination exercise for pregnant women and others in the communities, 178 out of 212 pregnant women tested positive and were vaccinated with Hepatitis B Immune Globulin to help protect the children they were caring for from being infected with the disease.
He said 90 per cent of the women, who availed themselves to be tested, were unaware of the existence of the disease.
“We also organized free testing and vaccination during the just ended Masquerading Festival held in Winneba and 470 people were screened and vaccinated free of charge, he stated.
He expressed appreciation to Mr Alexander Ato Kwamina Afenyo-Markin, Deputy Majority Leader and Member of Parliament for Effutu, for his support and appealed to corporate bodies to support the Foundation to execute its vision at saving newborns from Hepatitis B.
GNA