HEPATITIS is becoming a serious health problem in Zanzibar and the government has advised wananchi to avoid all risky behaviours that can lead to infections.
Deputy Minister for Health, Harusi Said Suleiman told the House of Representatives here on Friday that integrated behavioural and biology survey of 2011 and 2012 showed that hepatitis B and C have affected mostly drug abusers.
She said the rate of hepatitis B infections in Unguja and Pemba among drug abusers is six per cent while for hepatitis C among the same group the infection rate is estimated at between 21 and 25 per cent.
Hepatitis B infection among prostitutes is two per cent while the rate of hepatitis C infection among the group is zero per cent, the deputy minister told the House.
She was answering a question by Chakechake Representative Suleiman Sarahan Said, who wanted to know the disease prevalence in the islands and the government strategies to quell it.
Ms Said informed the legislators that according to records, Zanzibar has 781 hepatitis patients, 430 of them males and 351 females.
She said the government, through the hepatitis unit under the HIV/ AIDS, Hepatitis, Tuberculosis and Leprosy department, is determined to control the infections at all levels, but she advised more Zanzibaris to go for testing of their health.
