Zambia: HEP Initiative organized the Hepatitis Football Tournament at Kalingalinga Grounds over the weekend, The aim of the initiative was to commemorate World Hepatitis Day on July 28, 2024.
The theme of the celebration for this year’s World Hepatitis Day was “It’s time for action.” The programme has been convened for the benefit of the people of the country.
As per the officials of the health officials, Hepatitis is a major healthcare emergency, with the nation recording several cases of the infection in a year. The virus, which transmits by various means, including unsafe sexual practice and needle sharing, has claimed several lives in the past.
As a consequence, the health stakeholders all over thee world have taken it upon themselves to spread awareness aboyt the disease. The annual world hepatitis day brings communities together and sensitizes them about the disease.
Four local community teams competed to be crowned the 2024 Hepatitis Day Football Champions. The tournament aims to raise awareness about hepatitis, promote healthy lifestyles, and foster community spirit.
The leaders of the organization have shared that the matches were one of the events convened for the day.
In addition to the matches, Ministry of Health Zambia provided educational sessions on hepatitis. The education session was hosted with the aim of informing participants and attendees about prevention, transmission, and treatment.
Free hepatitis B testing was available to everyone, with immediate linkage to care for those who tested positive.
Ministry of Health Zambia hopes to draw attention to the importance of hepatitis awareness and prevention. The inclusion of sports like football will also play a crucial role in attracting youngsters’ attention to the issue.
According to the healthcare stakeholders Football has a unique ability to bring people together. The affect of the team led sport goes beyond barriers and helps in uniting communities.
Through this tournament, the Ministry of Health aims to harness this unifying power to deliver critical health messages and services to a wide audience with regards to hepatitis.
The event was a celebration of both sport and health. It helps in showing that an active lifestyle can significantly contribute to overall well-being.