What is Hepatitis B and How Can You Protect Yourself?

Hepatitis B is a viral infection that attacks the liver. In Ghana it is common, and many people live with the virus for years without symptoms while liver damage quietly progresses.

How it spreads: through blood and body fluids, from mother to baby at birth, through unsterilised sharp instruments, and through unprotected sex. It does not spread through sharing food or casual contact.

Why testing matters: a simple HBsAg blood test tells you whether you are currently infected. If you are negative and not yet immune, vaccination gives excellent, long-lasting protection. If you are positive, monitoring your liver and viral load allows treatment to start before damage becomes permanent.

What you can do today: get tested, vaccinate your family, avoid sharing razors and clippers, and insist on sterile instruments at every clinic or salon.

At IKAN Diagnostic Laboratories, HBsAg screening is available same day, and we can collect your sample at home if visiting the lab is difficult.