Vietnam has been warned of the rising number of hepatitis sufferers with over 20% of its population or 18 million people suffering from hepatitis B and C, Prof. Pham Hoang Phiet, President of the Ho Chi Minh Liver and Gall Association said. He made the statement at an Asia-Pacific conference in Ho Chi Minh City on June 18-19 with the participation of over 750 doctors and experts from 16 countries and territories, including China, the Republic of Korea, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Laos, Taiwan, Hong Kong, the U.S., the U.K., Italy and Switzerland. One fifth of the infection cases are in critical condition, which requires special and appropriate treatment, Phiet said, noting that infection rate of hepatitis B is 100 times higher than that of HIV/AIDS. A report showed that 75% of hepatitis B patients worldwide are from Asia-Pacific. The disease is the leading cause of cirrhosis, liver cancer and the 10th leading cause of death worldwide. About 15% to 25% of people with chronic Hepatitis B would die from liver diseases, the report added. The Asia-Pacific Institute of Liver Diseases (APASL) said that hepatitis C is a real threat to public health in the region. The infection rate of hepatitis C in Japan, China, Taiwan and Vietnam is reported at between 12% and 58%. Vietnam has the second highest rate of liver cancers in the world with 90% of the cases developing from hepatitis B. (vietnamplus.vn June 20, Lao Dong – Labor June 20)
