China's doctors not up to scratch on hepatitis B

0 Comments | AFP, September, 2005

BEIJING (AFP) — A majority of Chinese doctors do not have adequate knowledge of hepatitis B and how to treat and prevent the life-threatening viral liver infection.

A survey found that only two-thirds of 290 doctors specializing in infectious diseases were fully aware of hepatitis treatment procedures, the China Daily said Thursday.

Four in five of 334 doctors not specialising in infectious diseases incorrectly thought that hepatitis B was congenital and could not be effectively prevented.

China has an estimated 120 million chronic hepatitis B carriers, equivalent to the combined populations of France and Britain.

Many show no symptoms and do not pose a threat to co-workers, but the huge group of carriers, roughly 10 percent of China's population,...