Medical Doctor urges periodic hepatitis screening

Dr. Augustine Adjei-Hinne, a medical doctor at the Brong-Ahafo Regional Hospital has advised church authorities to have their members screened periodically of hepatitis at nearby hospitals and health centres. He said that would save them from contracting the disease and also avoid the financial high cost entailed. Dr. Adjei-Hinne gave the advice at a Health Talk Programme organised by the Penkwase Assembly �B� branch of the Apostles� Continuation Church International at Penkwase, a suburb of Sunyani, as part of activities to mark the church�s Youth Week celebration, on Thursday. The week-long programme, on the theme �Outpouring of the Spirit� started on Monday August 12 and would be climaxed on Sunday, August 18, 2013. He noted that the hepatitis disease had five stages, but the most dangerous ones were �B� and �C� types, adding that, fighting the disease was professionally tackled by means of �Hepatitis Profile� to be able to ascertain the level of stages or phases the virus had destroyed one�s immune system. Dr. Adjei-Hinne encouraged anyone diagnosed with the disease not to be scared because 95 per cent of such patients stood the chance of living longer, provided the patient concerned could comply or abide by prescribed medical instructions. He cautioned Hepatitis patients to refrain from alcoholic drinks, stressing that, failure to adhere to the medical advice could endanger the life span of the sufferer. Earlier in a bible knowledge quiz competition, Penkwase Assembly �B� bagged 46 points to place first, Sunyani-Tunsuom Estate Assembly �A� followed second with 22 points, with Chiraa Assembly coming third with 21 points. Odomase Assembly, the expected fourth contestants could not take part in the competition because they arrived at the venue two hours late when the competition was almost over. Reverend Joseph Nkrumah, Pastor in-charge of the Penkwase branch, congratulated the Youth groups, particularly the Quiz contestants, for exhibiting their in-depth knowledge of the sacred book, the Bible, to the admiration of members of the Church. Elder Thomas Ameyaw, member of Church told the Ghana News Agency that the programme would continue with a clean-up exercise on Saturday and a thanksgiving service on Sunday.