Experts Call For Large Scale Hep B Screening In HK

Medical experts at the University of Hong Kong say the government should roll out a territory-wide screening programme for Hepatitis B, covering all adults in the city.

They said on Tuesday that this would be the most effective way to identify carriers at an early stage, to help stop them from developing serious liver complications, like cirrhosis or cancer.

The call came after the expert team tested more than 10,000 people for different Hepatitis viruses, and found 7.8 percent of them had Hepatitis B. Almost half didn't know they were infected.

Professor Richard Yuen, chair professor of gastroenterology and hepatology, told RTHK’s Priscilla Ng that since most patients don’t have any symptoms at all, they don’t realise they are infected until later in life, when complications start to develop.

He said there are very cheap and effective drugs with little side-effects available for the disease, and if carriers can be diagnosed at an earlier stage, their chances of developing liver complications can be significantly reduced.

He also said territory-wide screening is very important given Hep B is still very prevalent in the city.