More die from liver diseases - Study (The Mirror)

Sat, December 24, 2009

A study conducted in Accra between 1996 and 2002 has shown that out of 22,394 persons who died and passed through autopsies, 1,176 suffered from liver diseases.
The study, conducted by the Dean of School of Allied Health Sciences, College of Health Sciences at the University of Ghana, Professor Edwin Kwame Wiredu, also revealed liver diseases had been rising at the rate of about 0.3 per cent annually in Ghana.
Delivering the keynote address at a day’s symposium sponsored by the University of Ghana Research Fund in Accra last Wednesday, Prof. Wiredu said liver diseases, which include Hepatitis, was a major health problem in the country and must be tackled with all the seriousness they deserved.
Speaking on the topic “Mortality from Liver Diseases in Accra—Autopsies from 1996 to 2002”, he said the study was conducted on all persons above 20 years who died in Accra during the seven-year period.
In addition, Professor Wiredu said all deceased persons diagnosed with liver cases were also investigated to determine the specific disease, adding that more men suffered and died from liver diseases than women.
The Head of Molecular Virology and Diagnostics Development Division of Transfusion Medicine, Department of Haematology, University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom, Professor J.P. Allain, said most children who suffered from Hepatitis were infected before 10 years.
He explained that children easily passed the virus on to other children and pointed out that it was important to protect them, since they tended to have weak immune system.
Professor Allain pointed out that Hepatitis, if not treated, could become chronic and urged sufferers to seek early treatment.
Giving an overview of the “Prevalence of Hepatitis in Ghana—an epidemiological perspective”, Mr Anthony Dangdem of the Public Health Reference Laboratory, Ghana Health Service (GHS), said tests conducted during blood donations indicated that cases of Hepatitis was increasing in the country.
He explained that Hepatitis carriers posed a risk to others, since it was highly infectious.
Mr Dangdem said Hepatitis was an inflammation of the liver, most commonly caused by a viral infection, adding that there were five main Hepatitis viruses, referred to as types A, B, C, D and E.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), Hepatitis A and E are typically caused by ingestion of contaminated food or water. Hepatitis B, C and D usually occur as a result of contact with infected body fluids, for example, blood transfusions or invasive medical procedures using contaminated equipment. Hepatitis B is also transmitted by sexual contact.
The symptoms of hepatitis include jaundice; that is yellowing of the skin and eyes, dark urine, extreme fatigue, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain.
In his welcoming address, the Director of the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR), Professor Alexander Nyarko, said although liver diseases were causing too much harm to people globally, not much was known about them, adding that evidence of the diseases abound in the hospitals.
The chairman for the function, Professor Yao Tettey, who is also the Vice Dean of the University of Ghana Medical School, expressed the hope that participants in the symposium could come out with recommendations to help clinicians in their work at the hospitals.