Two Billion Men Have Hepatitis

Hepatitis is a liver disease commonly caused by virus. In Asia Pacific about 20% people died because of Hepatitis and 350 million others suffer from chronic Hepatitis. In Indonesia, hepatitis is the third cause of death after infection and lung disease, in which about 40 million people suffer from it.

Hepatitis A or mostly known as jaundice usually infect teenagers. Its first symptoms are similar to influenza, such as fever, abdominal pain (on the right side of the stomach) especially under the ribs when being pressed. This disease contaminates people through food and drink. In Indonesia, people suffering from hepatitis A have the biggest number compared to other diseases which is about 20 million people.

Hepatitis B has infected approximately 2 million people around the world and 80% of them are in the Asia Pacific. In Indonesia, people who suffer from hepatitis B are about 11.6 million people. The average ratio risk of Indonesian people to get infected with hepatitis B is about 5%. For the Javanese, the ratio reaches 34.5%.

The first symptoms of hepatitis B are flatulence followed by symptoms similar to hepatitis A. Hepatitis B virus is more difficult to be contained. It infects people through needles, dental needles, blood transfusions, shaving razor and saliva, breast milk, unprotected sexual intercourse and even shared toothbrush with people suffering from hepatitis B.

Without serious treatment, the virus will stay in the liver and the person will eventually become a carrier of the disease. The virus then will infect others through sperm (for male carrier) and blood transfusions. If the disease continues, it will be developed into a chronic liver disease and may cause other more dangerous diseases such as cirrhosis or liver cancer. According to Sri Diana from FK-UI, in 1985 liver cancer is the third highest among all kinds of cancer, that infected people in Indonesia.

Today, hepatitis C has drawn the attention of medical experts. Hepatitis C has infected 170 million people whereas in Asia Pacific alone, has infected about 5-6 million people. Hepatitis C is more dangerous than hepatitis A and B, because it shows no preliminary symptoms. It usually just shows minor illness such as vomiting or gastritis. Up to today, nobody has been able to determine how the virus is spread. Hepatitis C virus is difficult to remove and will gradually damage the liver.
(Source: Gatra No.42 Year XI, September 3rd, 2005)

How the fight against Hepatitis is Costly

Medical treatment for hepatitis disease is getting more and more expensive. Ms. Damaris Lalang has spent 450.000-650.000 Rupiah for monthly treatment, 1 million Rupiah just to check the virus level and also 20 million Rupiah to treat the disease. The same thing happened to Cak Nur who spent US$ 150,000 (eq. 1.5 Billion Rupiah) for liver transplantation, US$ 60,000 for liver treatment in China and about 5 Billion Rupiah for air ambulance and post transplantation treatment in Singapore and Indonesia.

An overseas therapy with pegylated interferon alpha 2a which is believed by many doctors as an effective cure for hepatitis, in 48 weeks costs about US$ 12,000 or eq.120 million Rupiah, which means that the sufferer has to spend 2.6 million Rupiah every week, whereas in Indonesia the cost of an injection is about 2 million Rupiah. The price of hepatitis medicine called entekavir is 50.000 Rupiah per tablet. The factory price of lamivudin antivirus is 900.000 Rupiah per 28 tablets and adefovir is sold at the price of 1,097 Million Rupiah per 30 tablets.
(Source: Gatra No.42 Year XI, September 3rd, 2005)

Be Cautious of Unhealthy Food

Those who like eating out or consume non-hygienic / low nutrition food, consume food or beverage contaminated with hepatitis virus, share drinking glass and dining plate, shaving razor or toothbrush and have unprotected sexual intercourse especially with hepatitis carrier; are very likely to be infected with hepatitis virus and should take a precaution by getting themselves a vaccine or consume traditional medicine.