Tackle injections to help beat hepatitis - WHO

Monday July 27th, 2015

Health services need to reduce the number of injections to help reduce the spread of hepatitis, according to the World Health Organisation.

It is one of a series of measures WHO is backing in advance of World Hepatitis Day today.

WHO says 90% of the world's 16 billion injections are used to administer drugs, not including vaccines and injectable contraceptives, and in many cases oral treatments could be used instead.

It wants all children vaccinated against hepatitis B together with high risk adults, including health workers, people with multiple sexual partners and people who have frequent need of blood products.

WHO launched its campaign in Egypt where about five million working age adults - 10% of the population - are thought to suffer from chronic hepatitis C infection. In the last seven years, 350,000 people have been treated for the disease.

Egypt is one of three countries to take part in a new Global Injection Safety Initiative, aimed at reducing unnecessary injections and moving services to single-use syringes.

A spokesman said: "In September this year, countries will have the opportunity to share best practice at the first-ever World Hepatitis Summit to be held in Glasgow, Scotland.

"The summit, which is co-sponsored by WHO, the Scottish Government and the World Hepatitis Alliance, aims to raise the global profile of viral hepatitis, to create a platform for exchange of country experiences and to focus on working with countries to develop national action plans."

Tags: Flu & Viruses | Internal Medicine | World Health

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