Last September 29, 2021, DISTRIPHIL’s Human Resources and Organization Development (HROD) department conducted another episode of Health Awareness Academy (HAA). HAA is one of the many employee engagement initiatives of DISTRIPHIL. This program aims to educate DISTRIPHIL employees regarding important health conditions. It empowers employees with basic knowledge on how they can keep themselves healthy and well. Previous installments of the Health Awareness Academy have covered conditions such as hypertension, HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, eye health, among many others. For this installment of the HAA webinar is all about hepatitis. DISTRIPHIL’s Medical Affairs Manager, Dr. CJ Amil, served as resource speaker.

Hepatitis, specifically viral hepatitis, is a common condition that affects millions of Filipinos. According to the Hepatology Society of the Philippines, it is estimated that 7.3 million Filipinos are chronically infected with Hepatitis B. ^[1]  Because of this, hepatitis is considered as a major public health concern in the country.

During the webinar, Dr. Amil discussed the different causes of hepatitis, with emphasis on the different types of viral hepatitis. The modes of transmission and preventive measures against hepatitis were also mentioned. The importance of vaccination as a means of preventing hepatitis B transmission was also discussed. The hepatitis B vaccine is the first vaccine that can help prevent cancer, as hepatitis B infection may lead to the development of liver cancer if left untreated.

The program served as a reminder that despite COVID-19 being the most discussed disease nowadays, there are still many other infectious diseases that we should be aware to protect ourselves. The next episode of Health Awareness Academy is scheduled in December 2021.

Reference:

1. Hepatology Society of the Philippines. Frequently Asked Questions. https://hsp.org.ph/faqs/#:~:text=An%20estimated%207.3%20million%20adult,country%20hyperenedemic%20for%20hepatitis%20B.