Emirates Health Services (EHS) joined countries around the world in marking World Hepatitis Day with an awareness campaign launched through its digital and social media platforms to introduce the disease, its symptoms, and ways to prevent infection.
The campaign clarified that hepatitis develops as a result of infection with one of the five viruses that can cause the disease: Hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E. Hepatitis A and E are typically caused by consumption of contaminated food or water, while hepatitis B, C, and D are transmitted by transfusion of contaminated blood or blood products, or through medical procedures performed using contaminated medical equipment. Hepatitis B can also be transmitted from mother to child during childbirth, as well as through sexual contact and blood transfusion.
The campaign also indicated that hepatitis patients may develop mild symptoms, or no symptoms at all. Main symptoms include fever, feeling unwell, loss of appetite, nausea, diarrhoea, discomfort in the abdominal area, jaundice (skin turning to yellow colour), cirrhosis, and liver cancer.
Emirates Health Services aims to raise awareness among members of the community about the dangers of hepatitis C, how it is most commonly transmitted, ways to prevent it, the importance for periodic and early detection, and available treatment options.
EHS is committed to observing prominent international events and occasions to enhance its awareness campaigns and promote the adoption of healthy behaviours, eating habits, and lifestyles, as a means to prevent diseases, limit infections, and minimise death rates by raising community awareness about health.
Emirates Health Services provides an integrated system of health services that are in line with medical standards and international best practices and protocols across its network of hospitals, public health centres and primary healthcare centres. This, in turn, is in line with the UAE’s strategy and ambitious national projects, designed to provide holistic, integrated, innovative, and sustainable health services to protect the community from diseases, facilitate the establishment of high-quality treatment systems, and boost the sector’s regional and global competitiveness.