Interactive platform on hepatitis B and C and launched by MS
A service that aims to help citizens, managers and health professionals in the fight against hepatitis B and C, in Brazil, was launched today (7) by the Ministry of Health. According to the ministry, approximately 1.5 million people live with either of the two infections, considered a public health issue in the country.
The Adult Viral Hepatitis Care Line , an online platform offers subsidies for the organization and standardization of services offered at all levels of care in the Unified Health System (SUS). It can be accessed during the consultation by computer, smartphone or tablet.
The platform also helps people to have more autonomy, with access to information about diseases, what promotion, prevention, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation activities are available in the public network and where to start the service.
"The initial recommendation is that people look for basic health units (UBS) to take the rapid test for detection of hepatitis B and C, available free of charge, to avoid more serious health problems", said the secretary of Primary Care at the Ministry of Health, Raphael Câmara.
The secretary recalls that Brazil is a signatory of the global strategy for the elimination of viral hepatitis as a public health problem by 2030, being essential the role of the Primary Health Care (PHC) to achieve this goal.
“The capillarity and insertion that Primary Care has in communities makes it easier to address issues such as viral hepatitis, active search, promotion of vaccination and monitoring of patients. Therefore, the APS is a protagonist in this work”, he said.
Disease table
According to the ministry, in Brazil, the most common hepatitis are caused by viruses A, B and C. There are also hepatitis D virus (most common in the North) and hepatitis E, which is less frequent in the country. Infections caused by hepatitis B and C mainly affect the liver. As they are generally chronic and silent conditions, most people do not discover the infection early. It is more common to identify the disease when it is in an advanced stage, with impaired liver function, cirrhosis, cancer or the need for liver transplantation.
Currently, it is estimated that more than 450,000 people are actively infected with the hepatitis C virus in Brazil, and about 1.1 million people have hepatitis B and are possibly unaware of the diagnosis. Globally, infections are responsible for approximately 1.1 million deaths per year, reaching 1.34 million deaths in 2015 and surpassing the number of deaths from HIV/AIDS.
Tests and Vaccines
SUS provides rapid tests for hepatitis B and C, vaccines against hepatitis A and B, viral load tests, confirmatory tests and safe and effective drugs, which allow the control of hepatitis B and cure more than 95% of cases of hepatitis C .
*With information from the Ministry of Health
Text translated using artificial intelligence.
