By Suzan Nanjala
Soroti Hospital regional referral hospital administration has expressed concern over a spike in new cases of Hepatitis B registered at the facility.
The coordinator emergency treatment Dr Athanasius Ariengu, currently they have over 200 patients being handled at the hepatitis B clinic which is conducted every Tuesday.
He notes that due to this growing number of patients, the clinic sometimes runs short of drugs, affecting patient viral load suppression.
Hepatitis B is a serious liver infection caused by the hepatitis B virus (HBV).
For most people, hepatitis B is short term, also called acute, and lasts less than six months.
But for others, the infection becomes chronic, meaning it lasts more than six months.
According to health experts, having chronic hepatitis B increases one’s risk of developing liver failure, liver cancer or cirrhosis a condition that permanently scars the liver.
Hepatitis B signs and symptoms may include abdominal pain, dark urine, fever, Joint pain, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting, weakness and fatigue, yellowing of the skin.
