Thursday, December 5, 2024

Health workers’ exposure to hepatitis B worries CIDRZ

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The Center for Infectious Diseases Research in Zambia (CIDRZ) is concerned with the number of medical personnel being exposed to hepatitis B virus in Kalulushi.

CIDRZ Coordinator Simuyandi Michelo has disclosed that out of 641 participants enrolled in the hepatitis B research programme, 66 percent had prior exposure to hepatitis B.

Mr. Michelo, who was speaking during a dissemination workshop on protecting health care workers against Hepatitis B infection in Kalulushi, said according to the research, 4.6 percent of those tested were currently infected.

“There is very little knowledge about hepatitis B prevention and vaccination among health care workers,” said Mr. Michelo.

And Copperbelt Province Acting Health Director Charles Sakulanda is impressed with CIDRZ for running a research programme to protect health workers against hepatitis B in Kalulushi.

Dr. Sakulanda said hepatitis B is the main cause for liver diseases.

“The main aim of this pilot programme is to see how the Ministry of Health can implement a vaccination programme to protect health care workers against hepatitis B,” he said.

The pilot research is running under the theme ‘a healthy workforce equals a healthy nation’.

5 COMMENTS

  1. Before some upnd cadre starts rumours that I am cheating on my wlfe, I want to clear the air by saying that even though the woman on right is beautiful, my wlfe Regina is better.

  2. The most exposed are biomedical engineers and technicians because they aren’t sufficiently protected when they service equipment especially that used in surgery dialysis. Health care providers use gloves, masks and gowns when they attend to patients but engineers don’t. And the least supported department in the Ministry of Health establishment is the support services under which maintenance falls. There’s a requirement for dentists and their assistants to get annual vaccines but they aren’t available and so everyone goes about their business unbothered. Instead of such research, I’d they implement what’s already on record. What this research has brought about isn’t new, it’s known

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