by Priya Deshmukh Gilbile- COO ManipalCigna Health Insurance

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World Hepatitis Day 2022: The World Health Organisation(WHO) estimates that 354 million people worldwide live with Hepatitis B and C infection. Unfortunately, proper testing and treatment are beyond reach for most of those people.Thus to raise awareness of the importance of knowing hepatitis status while spreading the word about the treatment, World Hepatitis Day (WHD) is observed every year on 28 July.This year, WHO focuses on the theme “Bringing hepatitis care closer to you” and calls for simplified service delivery of viral hepatitis services, bringing care closer to communities.

So, this World Hepatitis Day let’s move a step closer to understanding what is Hepatitis and how to receive the proper care at the right time.

What exactly is Hepatitis?

Hepatitis is an infection of the liver and many people who have it show no symptoms. While modern treatments are usually effective, if left untreated, hepatitis can be life-threatening. The most common routes of transmission for Hepatitis B or C viruses are:

Blood transfusions using unscreened blood (but, in most developed countries, blood has been screened since the 1990s)

Medical or dental interventions without sterilised equipment

Tattooing and body piercing if done using unsterilized equipment

Sharing razors, toothbrushes or similar household items

How can one prevent and manage the disease?

Hepatitis prevention is critical and getting vaccinated tops the list of things one can do to keep the virus at bay.Healthcare professionals and the general public continue to reach hundreds of millions of people with life-saving information about viral hepatitis. But there’s still work to be done. That all begins with raising awareness of the dangers hepatitis poses and understanding the preventative steps to take from vaccines to hygiene practices.

Hepatitis can also be prevented through regular health check-ups and screenings that lead to early detection of the disease. However, the treatment, medical check-ups, medicines and hospitalization expenses can all put a huge dent in your finances. Hence, it is also important to opt for a comprehensive health insurance plan to fight the high medical costs and avail quality healthcare. Almost all health insurance plans cover hepatitis and its related treatments. Therefore, people should get themselves a health insurance plan which comes in handy if the ailment attacks.Along with a health insurance plan, you can also look at getting critical illness rider with it.

A critical illness policy covers several costs associated with diagnosis and treatment, including hospitalization, and the cost of prescribed medicines, among others. A critical illness cover pays the sum assured all at once on being diagnosed with a severe ailment that counts as a critical illness, irrespective of the hospital charges. Hence, it is essential and always helpful to have a critical illness rider to protect one’s savings from being drained out in case of a medical emergency.

This World Hepatitis Day, let’s take a pledge to take action and focus on keeping you and your loved ones fit and well by build healthy habits, understanding the risks posed by hepatitis andby providing access to quality healthcare.That way, you can have complete peace of mind that you’ll receive the proper care at the right time.