Neglecting Hepatitis B leads to liver cancer — Physician

A Physician, Dr Ramon Moronkola, says neglecting Hepatitis B over a long period will lead to liver damage which can also lead to cancer of the liver.

Moronkola, who works at a Lagos-based private hospital, Optimal Care, made the assertion in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday in Lagos.

“Liver cancer, most times, the survival rate, when it sets in is within six months; it is that deadly.

“Hepatitis B is deadlier than HIV because of its infectivity; if Hepatitis B virus is on a surface, it can last on that surface for months.

“However, if it is HIV on a surface, in some hours and days it will die off, that means it cannot infect someone again.

“The danger of neglecting Hepatitis B is that the person runs the risk of having his liver damaged or having cancer of the liver,” he said.

He told NAN that Hepatitis B was highly preventable through vaccination, screening, early detection and treatment.

According to him, Hepatitis B is one of the vaccines given to children and adults are encouraged to find out their status and if negative, they are encouraged to get vaccinated.

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“When you are vaccinated, you are protected from the virus.

“Even for those who are positive, there are steps to take to protect the liver; one of them is to visit the hospital to see, especially, doctors who are trained in that field,” he said.

The physician warned that activities such as consuming excess alcohol, taking herbs indiscriminately could worsen the situation of someone who has Hepatitis B.

Moronkola said: “If someone has Hepatitis B, he has to now take extra care to desist from those things that can further damage the liver.

“However, the first thing to do is to visit a specialist.

“So, largely, what is being promoted is great awareness of the dangers of the condition and ensure that people vaccinate their children and go for screening,” he added.