A new effort is underway to fight back against the venomous grip of viral hepatitis in Egypt. Ghada Abdel-Kader monitors the campaign Students at Ain-Sahams University flocked this week to a booth on campus a few steps away from Al-Zaafarana Palace, which doubles as the university's administrative and dean's office. The booth had been set up by the National Committee for the Control and Prevention of Viral Hepatitis (NCCPVH) as part of its awareness campaign against viral hepatitis B (HBV) and viral hepatitis C (HCV) viruses targeting university students. It is the temporary home of numerous young volunteers who roam the campus handing out brochures containing basic information on viral hepatitis and it is where walk-in students are asked to fill out questionnaires that probe their knowledge of the topic. "One of my colleagues has been infected with hepatitis A. I'd like to know how to protect myself," said Amr Khaled, a Faculty of Fine Arts student. "Now that I have learnt about it, my family and I will be going to take the HBV vaccine." Manal Hamdi El-Sayed, professor of paediatrics at Ain Shams University and a member of NCCPVH, said the project started with Ain Shams University, and will be moving on to Tanta and Minya universities the week after. NCCPVH's objective is to contribute to the control and prevention of viral hepatitis, by spreading prevention guidelines and encouraging immunisations. She explained that the committee's five- year plan includes a tour of 18 Egyptian universities during the academic year 2008- 9, aiming to spread awareness, administer HBV vaccinations and, ultimately, to reduce infection during the next 10 years. Viral hepatitis is a serious liver disease caused by a virus that primarily attacks the liver. The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that almost 180 million people -- some 3 per cent of the world's population -- are infected with the hepatitis C virus (HCV), of whom 130 million are chronic HCV carriers at risk of developing liver cirrhosis and/ or liver cancer. It is estimated that three to four million persons are newly infected each year, 70 per cent of whom will develop chronic hepatitis. HCV is responsible for 50--76 per cent of all liver cancer cases and two thirds of all liver transplants in the developed world. In Egypt, viral hepatitis is a grave public health problem. "According to the latest national survey conducted in 1996, the number of inhabitants suffering from HCV reached five million, while the estimates of those at risk of being infected with HCV are around 10 million people," explained Hamdi, adding that almost four million Egyptians are at risk of being infected with HBV. "Reaching some 2.5 million college students is their aim," El-Sayed said. "The future generation accepts knowledge more readily and could influence other segments of society." She said it was surprising to find out that many students at the faculties of medicine, dentistry and pharmacology did not know how to apply safety measures or how to control infection. "We have 1,000 young volunteers from the Worldwide Health Forums [WHF] who are enthusiastic and want to reach everyone in the community," she said. The university campaign will last three weeks, focussing on a series of workshops, HBV vaccinations, high- profile celebrities highlighting the campaign message and awareness-raising booths. "The HBV vaccine is available at the General Egyptian Agency for Serum and Vaccine (Vacsera) in the Doqqi district. We are going to distribute vaccination coupons among students, which will be available at the student affairs offices of every faculty and which will give students a discount on the price of vaccines," Ahmed Salah, a pharmacist and member of WHF told Al-Ahram Weekly. The one-time vaccine grants life-long safety from HBV. Due to the gravity of the toll that viral hepatitis takes on the future generation, private companies have agreed to share in the vaccine costs of students at the Faculty of Medicine and Nursing School. Hence the three-dosage vaccine (taken once every two months), would cost LE3 for those students, at a discount from the price of LE12 paid by the other students. "I got infected with HCV from a stomach surgery. I didn't know until a year later when I offered to donate blood and the required blood tests revealed my one-year infection. I have been under treatment for the past nine years. I came today to listen and find out how to protect my family," said Hani Ibrahim, head of the Purchasing Department at Ain Shams University. "The rates of infection in Egypt are 10 times higher than the global average," said Mustafa Kamal, member of the NCCPVH. "The rates range between 12 per cent to 14 per cent in cities and up to 28 per cent in rural areas, where 40 per cent of the infected are over the age of 40." Kamal said that in a recent survey, it was found that infection had reached 24 per cent in Qalioubiya governorate. In the United States, 40,000 new cases of viral hepatitis are found each year, compared to 140,000 cases annually in Egypt. El-Sayed said that addressing viral hepatitis should be a community effort. "HBV and HCV affect all of us and everyone has a role to play. We're very happy that Orascom Telecom, the EFG Foundation, and Vacsera have accepted this challenge and contributed to the university awareness campaign. In addition, Johns Hopkins University, Communications for Healthy Living (CHL), the USAID, as well as a number of pharmaceutical companies have contributed funding and helped develop awareness material," she said. On a parallel note, Gamal Esmat, president of the International Association for Liver Study, said that seven new medical centres to treat viral hepatitis have been opened in various Egyptian governorates in 2007, providing healthcare for 120,000 patients with nominal fees. Five centres are in the Delta area and two are in Upper Egypt, where the spread of the illness is faster. He said that the end of 2008 will witness the opening of five more new medical centres. Meanwhile, the role of the media has been highlighted in shaping the perceptions and attitudes of young people towards viral hepatitis. In cooperation with NCCPVH, Actor Amr Waked is producing a short film about the virulent disease. Did you know? The most common types of liver viruses in Egypt are B and C, which are both transmitted through the blood. Virus C could be transmitted through: The usage of contaminated needles and surgical instruments; or any contaminated (traces of blood) tools that can penetrate the skin: tooth brushes, shaving blades, tattoo needles, piercing devices, scissors, etc. Symptoms and complications: Most people do not show any visible symptoms. However, some cases show, at earlier stages of infection, signs of fatigue, nausea, vomiting, jaundice and fever. How to prevent virus C: - Always use new needles. - Never share any of your personal hygiene belongings, even with your family members. - Use one cup of chlorine on four water cups to clean any blood-stained surfaces. - Never touch any blood, needles or used shaving blades. Virus B: - Infects the liver and can be transmitted and prevented in the same ways as the C virus, in addition to the following: - It is transmitted from mother to child during pregnancy. - It is sexually transmitted and has a an effective vaccine. Source: The National Committee for the Control and Prevention of Viral Hepatitis campaign flyer.
