Taiwan News
Date: 2015-07-27
By: Central News Agency

Taipei, July 27 (CNA) Some 650,000 hepatitis virus carriers who need treatment for liver problems are not seeking help, a senior health official warned Monday, and she urged people to take part in screening programs and get treatment if necessary.

Health Promotion Administration (HPA) Director Chiou Shu-ti said there are approximately 2.8 million hepatitis virus carriers in Taiwan, but only a small fraction of them get screened regularly to monitor their health.

Of the 900,000 carriers who show signs of liver disease, only 250,000 are being treated for their condition, meaning that around 70 percent of those afflicted do not seek medical treatment, she said. Regular checkups are important, Chiou said, because hepatitis B or hepatitis C viral infections are the main cause of liver disease. Hepatitis shows no symptoms in its initial stage, but once it is detected, it is often too late to treat it effectively, Chiou said. She therefore urged local residents to get screened to determine whether they are carriers, and if their tests show indications of possible liver disease, they should seek treatment at soon as possible, she said.     [FULL  STORY]