Sunyani: About 60 basic and Senior High School students in the Sunyani Municipality have been screened for Hepatitis B and enlightened on preventive measures. They were mostly screened during a free health screening exercise conducted by the Banhart Specialist Hospital in the Municipality.
According to Ghana News Agency, Mr. John Kabo-Bah, the Head of Business Development of the Hospital, explained that the exercise was to mark the Bono Regional celebration of the 2025 World Drug Abuse Day. In an interview in Sunyani on the sidelines of the free health screening exercise, he said the hospital remained committed to controlling the spread of Hepatitis B disease.
'It's our goal to educate the public about the risks of Hepatitis B and the importance of early detection of the disease,' Mr. Kabo-Bah stated, adding that the 'screening programme is designed to promote health awareness and prevention.' He emphasized that the beneficiaries were also sensitized on how they could protect themselves from Hepatitis B, noting the disease as a viral infection that could lead to liver damage, cirrhosis, or liver cancer.
Mr. Kabo-Bah elaborated that many people with Hepatitis B are unaware of their status, making community-based screening programmes essential for early detection and management. Hepatitis B is mostly transmitted through contact with infected blood or body fluids. He stressed that early detection is key to preventing and managing the disease, advising everyone to know their status and seek appropriate medication if positive, as well as adopt preventive measures if negative.
The Hospital is playing a vital role in educating the public on health preventive measures and remains dedicated to improving the health and well-being of the people. Mr. Kabo-Bah also advised the youth to stay off substance and drug abuse and prioritize their personal health and wellbeing.
