JULY 28 - WORLD HEPATITIS DAY

This day in many countries celebrated annually as World Hepatitis Day.

The date for its establishment became the birthday of the American physician Baruch Samuel Blumberg, the Nobel Prize winner who discovered the virus of hepatitis B. In 2008, she was awarded by the International Alliance against hepatitis. In 2011, the World Health Organization (WHO) has designated this date in its calendar of international days. On the occasion of this day, the organization recommends that the medical world in this field to carry out awareness campaigns, seminars, preventive action, telling people about viral hepatitis and the diseases to which it leads.

Note that hepatitis - an inflammation of the liver in most cases caused by a viral infection. There are five main hepatitis viruses, referred to types A, B, C, D and E. A and E hepatitis, as a rule, caused by contaminated food and water. B, C and D usually caused by parenteral contact with infected fluids (blood transfusion or invasive medical procedures using contaminated equipment).

This date is celebrated in our country too, a number of events are conducted in order to celebrate this day.

Viral hepatitis remains one of the most pressing problems for a long time. The introduction of modern methods of laboratory diagnosis of viral hepatitis (method of immunoenzymatic analysis) in the practice of county’s healthcare in 1997, allowed to diagnose five types of viral hepatitis in Uzbekistan: A, B, C, D, E.

To the World Day of Hepatitis Ministry of Healthcare of Uzbekistan spreads among the population informational materials that increase the level of awareness about the prevention of these infections.

In addition, television and radio broadcasts, round tables, talks and lectures on the prevention of viral hepatitis are conducted in the country for the enlightenment of the general public. National media publish articles on this topic dedicated to this day.

In order to maintain epidemiological welfare of hepatitis A, as well as pursuant to the "Year of healthy child", approved by the Decree of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan of February 19, 2014 №DP-2133 in October 2014 in Uzbekistan about 50 thousand children from poor families, orphanages and boarding schools were vaccinated, at the expense of the vaccine received from humanitarian aid of the company "Tibbiyot Dunyosi".

At present, the immunization centers carry out vaccination against hepatitis A, especially for children attending kindergartens and junior education classes.

Since 2001, the country provides vaccination of all infants against hepatitis B. Thanks to introduction of the triple vaccine (HBV) for children, the incidence of HBV among children has reduced 222.5 times in our country.

However, note that in the framework of the "Year of attention and care for the senior generation" in Uzbekistan more than 200 thousand elderly people vaccinated against hepatitis B.

According to the Ministry of Health of the country, from August 1 this year the country will made the vaccination against hepatitis B among healthcare workers with high risk of infection (surgeons, obstetricians, nurses, etc.). These measures provider for vaccination of more than 165 thousand medical workers and employees of healthcare institutions, who have contact with body fluids.

In order to prevent nosocomial infection with parenteral hepatitis, category of patients at high risk of infection are examined for viruses hepatitis B and C before admission to hospitals. According to the experts of the Ministry of Health, much attention is paid to laboratory examination of health care workers at high risk of infection markers of hepatitis B and C. At the present time for the diagnosis of HBV and HCV (virus B and C) more than 100 laboratories operate in Uzbekistan.

IA "Jahon"