Mongolians urged to get tested for hepatitis

AKIPRESS.COM - Mongolian Vice Health Minister Lamjav Byambasuren on Friday urged more citizens to get tested for hepatitis, Xinhua reports. "Mongolia has the highest rate of liver cancer and liver cancer mortality in the world. Cirrhosis and liver cancer caused by hepatitis B and C have been a major killer of Mongolians, after heart and coronary diseases," Byambasuren told reporters during an official event for World Hepatitis Day, which falls on July 28.
"Therefore, the Mongolian government launched a four-year national health campaign dubbed 'Whole-Liver Mongolia' in 2017, with the aim to improve knowledge about hepatitis infections, early detection of infections and cancer, and eliminate factors that lead to hepatitis infections in the future. Within the framework of the campaign, citizens can get free tests for the hepatitis B and C virus," said Byambasuren.
During an event for World Hepatitis Day, doctors of the National Center for Communicable Disease were performing free diagnostics for viral hepatitis B and C and cirrhosis in the central square of Ulan Bator.
Knowing your hepatitis status means contributing to the government's fight against hepatitis B and C, the vice health minister said, asking more Mongolians to get tested for hepatitis.
More than 900,000 people aged 16-65 have been tested for hepatitis free of charge under the "Whole-Liver Mongolia" campaign, she said.
Over 10 percent of Mongolia's population of 3 million are living with hepatitis B and C, according to the Health Ministry.
Mongolia has set itself the goal of stopping new cases of hepatitis B and C by 2020, and dramatically reduce the death rate caused by liver cirrhosis and cancer.