Approximately 500 people attended a free bilingual hepatitis B panel discussion and lunch sponsored by California Pacific Medical Center (CPMC) and held in conjunction with the “San Francisco Hep B Free” ampaign on May 4 at the Imperial Palace in Chinatown.
Featured speakers included Dr. Robert Gish, CPMC’s chief of the Division of Hepatology and Dr. Albert Yu, director of Chinatown Public Health Center. AsianWeek editor and publisher, Ted Fang, moderated the event.
The event, specifically geared to the Chinese community, successfully screened approximately 200 people and educated attendees on the disease, screening and treatment options.
One in three virus carriers will die of cirrhosis or liver cancer if they do not get treatment for the disease, according to Gish, who stressed the importance of getting vaccinated and proper treatment if infected.
Yu noted that San Francisco has the highest liver cancer rate in the country. Eighty percent of liver cancer is caused by hepatitis B, which is preventable with a vaccination.
Hepatitis B also has a high prevalence rate in the API community, with 1 in 10 estimated to have an undiagnosed infection.
“Hepatitis B is so prevalent in the Asian community, because the virus is primarily transmitted from mother to infant,” Yu said. “Once this new and current generation gets vaccinated, they will significantly help reduce ongoing transmission to the next generation.”
Because the disease is asymptomatic, it is vital to get screened early. By the time one experiences symptoms, it may be too late. Yu noted that the Chinatown Public Health Center provides free screenings and low-cost vaccinations the second Saturday of every month.
Yu concluded the discussion by revealing to the audience that having hepatitis B does not mean you automatically have a “death sentence.”
“Some people may think, ‘I have hepatitis B, but there’s nothing I can do about it,’ but treatment today is better than it was 10 years ago,” Yu said, noting that options include medication or possibly surgery.
To learn more about the S.F. Hep B Free campaign: sfhepbfree.org or thuynh@awfoundation.com.