The University of Education Winneba, Department of Psychology and Education (Guidance and Counseling) Practicum II 6 has held a seminar on Hepatitis "B" at the Central Regional Police Training School, Winneba.

It was held for recruits at the training school, the police personnel and their families and also people living around the school.

The programme was aimed at creating awareness about the disease and it and was part of the students' project work.

The group led by Mr Eric Twum-Frempong took the participants through topics like what is Hepatitis "B", the causes, the symptoms, treatment and how it can be prevented.

According to the group, Hepatitis "B" is a silent killer whose symptoms do not quickly manifest in a person's health as observed in other diseases like hypertension, diabetes, malaria and cholera.

They stated that the disease is a liver disease caused by a virus and that the virus is spread when blood or body fluids from an infected person enter the body of a person who is not infested.

They said this could occur in a variety of ways including unprotected sexual contact, mother to baby during birth, blood transfusion and organ transplantation and also close contact with contaminated objects in the environment.

They mentioned fever, fatigue, loss of appetite, vomiting, abdominal pain, grey-coloured stools, dark urine, joint pains and jaundice as some of the symptoms of the acute Hepatitis "B".

Participants were advised to see the doctor immediately they see such symptoms and urged them to get vaccinated since that is the best way to prevent one from being infected.

The group provided free testing of the disease to the participants and advised them to go to the hospital for vaccination.

The Officer Commanding of the Training School, Superintendent of Police Samuel Aseidu Okanta commended the students for educating them on the disease and that it would also educate others about the disease.