By Love Wilhelmina Abanonave
The Ghana Health Service is intensifying public education to correct misconceptions about hepatitis, stressing that the virus is not transmitted through casual contact such as sharing meals, hugging, or kissing.
Speaking about the stigma faced by people living with hepatitis, the Programmes Manager of the National Viral Hepatitis Control Programme at the Ghana Health Service, Dr John Gerald Adiiboka, said misinformation continues to fuel discrimination in workplaces and other social settings.
“It is not true that when you eat with someone who has hepatitis, you are likely to get it,” he stated during an interview on the GTV Breakfast Show.
Dr Adiiboka explained that fear and a lack of accurate information have contributed to the stigma against people diagnosed with viral hepatitis in Ghana. He noted that many people still believe the condition can be contracted through everyday interactions, leading to social exclusion.
He said viral hepatitis, particularly Hepatitis B and C, are blood-borne infections transmitted mainly through contact with infected blood, unprotected sexual activity, mother-to-child transmission during childbirth, and the use of unsterilised sharp objects such as needles and razor blades.
The health expert emphasised that sharing food, eating from the same bowl, hugging, shaking hands, coughing, sneezing, or casual kissing do not spread the virus.
“These are the myths we are fighting. When people understand that you cannot get hepatitis from sitting next to someone or sharing food, then we can reduce discrimination,” he added.
Dr Adiiboka urged Ghanaians to take advantage of available testing services to know their hepatitis status early. He said Hepatitis B and C can be managed and treated, and people living with the virus can lead healthy and productive lives with proper care.
“We want people to test, know their status, and get treatment without fear of being labelled or rejected by society,” he said.
