January 13, 2016

Hepatitis survey points to nearly 5 million infected

Nearly 5 million people in Myanmar suffer from a form of hepatitis, health officials say. A nationwide survey conducted last year estimated that about 3.3 million people suffer from hepatitis B and a further 1.3 million live with hepatitis C.

The survey – conducted by the Department of Medical Research, the Central Epidemiological Unit of the Department of Public Health and the Myanmar Liver Foundation – was done between May and November 2015 among men and women aged between 15 and 80, living in 18 townships in nine states and regions and Nay Pyi Taw.

The results were announced to the Myanmar Research Congress, which is currently meeting in Yangon.

Daw Aye Aye Lwin, deputy director of the Immunology Research Division at the Department of Medical Research, told participants on January 6 that the survey results would be used to help better target measures to fight the disease.

The survey found that the highest prevalence of HB infection was 12.4 percent in Yangon Region and the lowest was 3.3pc in Magwe Region. HC infection was highest in Mon State at 10.3pc, and lowest in Bago Region and Chin State at 0.32pc. (Courtesy of Myanmar Times)

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