500,000 Malaysians Have This Disease And They Don't Even Know It

In a report by New Straits Times, the Health Ministry saw a hike in hepatitis C cases in Malaysia from 3.71% in 2009 to 8.57% in 2016.

However, Health Minister Datuk Seri Dr S. Subramaniam told the daily that we must be aware that the actual situation could be more severe because not everyone who seeks treatment is tested for hepatitis C.

The increasing occurrence of chronic hepatitis could mean that more people will end up with cirrhosis and liver cancer.

In worse cases, up to 40 to 50% of patients who have cirrhosis due to hepatitis C could develop progressive liver damage, and ultimately, liver failure and death.

Dr Subramaniam stressed that it is then vital to heighten efforts to identify patients at risk of this virus.

"Screening for hepatitis C at various levels needs to be enhanced and treatment prioritised to patients who are at higher risk of developing advanced liver disease.

"Screening however can only be effective if those identified to have hepatitis C are linked to competent healthcare providers. Patients eligible for treatment will have to be offered treatment," he told reporters.

The treatment for hepatitis C reportedly lasts for 12 weeks and could cost up to RM40,000 per person. That’s a hefty price to pay for such a short period of time!

Nevertheless, Dr Subramaniam assured that the government is currently working with international agencies to find ways to make the treatment more affordable for patients.

The ministry hopes to reduce the cost to about RM1,000 per patient in one to two years’ time.

What is hepatitis C?

For those who don’t know much about this disease, hepatitis C is essentially caused by a blood-borne virus that infects the liver, which could lead to cirrhosis, liver cancer and liver failure.

Many people who have hepatitis C don't know that they actually have the disease until they experience some form of liver damage, which can take years to happen.

In some cases, people who get hepatitis C have it for a short period of time and then recover. But there are also people infected with the virus who end up developing long term or chronic hepatitis C.

What are the symptoms?

When people are first infected with the hepatitis C virus, most of the time the symptoms won't show. Some of the symptoms may include:

• Feeling exhausted
• Joint pain
• Belly pain
• Itchy skin
• Sore muscles
• Dark urine
• Yellowish eyes and skin (jaundice), which usually appears only after other symptoms have started fading

There are instances where people go on to develop chronic hepatitis C but still don't have symptoms. That's why it is common for people to have the disease for a very long time before it is diagnosed.

Having said that, although hepatitis C can be very serious, most people are still able to manage the disease and continue living active lives.