Bangladesh Medical Students' Society (BMSS) affiliated Standing Committee on Public Health (SCOPH) in collaboration with National Liver Foundation of Bangladesh (NLFB) to observe the World Hepatitis Day launched an event on Hepatitis awareness and diagnostic skill learning online and offline campaign "Mission Hepatitis Free Future."

SCOPH-BMSS and NLFB organised "Mission Hepatitis free future" which consists of an online digital poster presentation competition and article writing competition on the topic of "Know Hepatitis more, Prevent hepatitis better".

Alongside the competitions, there were two webinars. In accordance with this year's theme of World Hepatitis Day "Hepatitis Can't Wait", on the first webinar named "Youth Can't Wait", there was discussion on Hepatitis prevention and youth advocacy on Hepatitis by the reverent speakers from World hepatitis alliance, Sheikh Russel Gastro Liver Institute & hospital, Dhaka Medical College Hospital and Bangladesh Medical Students' Society.

On the other webinar called "Mission Hepatitis Free Future", the medical and public health concerns of Hepatitis was reflected and questions from the audience in the comment box was answered by the Founder of NLFB and first ever surgeon to successfully transplant liver, Dr. Mohammad Ali as well as famous TV anchor, debater and C.E.O of Nagorik Television Dr. Abdun Noor Tushar.

In continuation of the event, 25 medical students were provided with a hepatitis screening test workshop on 27th August, 2021 in the NLFB office premises where they learnt how to do a hepatitis screening test. Experts from NLFB demonstrated the medical students how to conduct a rapid hepatitis screening test which was followed by students individually testing positive and negative blood samples with a view to help underprivileged people by mass screening test in future. In this workshop the founder of National liver foundation Dr. Mohammad Ali was present along with BMSS president, project coordinator of NLFB and officials of BMSS. Each participant of the workshop got a certificate of participation issued by NLFB and world hepatitis alliance.

According to WHO, every year 28th July is observed as the World Hepatitis Day all around the world with various social awareness campaigns and activities. Though pandemic has created many obstacles in achieving the goal of zero hepatitis but it couldn't deem the unwavering spirits of youth. "Mission Hepatitis free future" is a glaring example of that.

Writer: Shirazum Munira studying in 3rd year at Shaheed Suhrawardy Medical College, Dhaka. Email: [email protected] 

BDST: 1205 HRS, AUG 29, 2021
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