Dr Anthony Normeshie, Executive Director of the Health For All Herbal Clinic, has urged Ghanaians to take health screening seriously for the early detection of diseases.

He said knowing one’s status of health, especially about Hepatitis-B, would help prevent the ailment from destroying the whole body system.

Dr Normeshie said this at a meeting between his Clinic, the Asamankese District Health Directorate and the Third Force Mineral Water Company to organize a free health screening and vaccination campaign against Hepatitis-B.

He said about 500 people are expected to participate in the programme at Oworam, near Asamankese in the Eastern Region on July 26, ahead of the World Hepatitis Day, which falls on July 28, this year.

He said the screening forms part of the corporate social responsibilities of his health facility to create awareness on Hepatitis-B, which is spreading at an alarming rate in the country.

According to Dr Normeshie, who is also a member of the Ghana Aids Commission, Hepatitis-B is easily transmitted from one person to the other, and that, the symptoms of the ailment is not immediately detected until the infection has completely damaged the whole body system.

He said Hepatitis-B is an infectious inflammatory illness of the liver caused by the hepatitis virus with epidemics in Asia and Africa and also very endemic in China.

He said about one-third of the world’s population has been infected at one point in their lives whilst 350 million people are chronic carriers.

Dr Normeshie disclosed that in 2010, China had 120 million people infected, whilst those infected in India and Indonesia were 40 million and 12 million respectively, with about 600,000 people losing their lives every year as a result of the disease.

He said the Health For All Herbal Clinic is a Hepatitis-B friendly facility and urged the public to check their health status at the clinic.

He advised Ghanaians to exercise regularly and also stick to healthy lifestyles by eating a lot of fruits and vegetables.