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A medical expert is urging the public to get tested for Hepatitis B, saying early diagnose is key to eliminating the disease in the country.

Dr. Anthony Matiok Madut, the Executive Director of Friends of Humanity and a member of the World Hepatitis Alliance, said early screening is key to controlling the disease and preventing its spread.

Dr Madut appeal came as South Sudan marked the World Hepatitis Day, yesterday.

This year’s theme, “If I die, let’s break it down,” calls for the elimination of hepatitis by 2030 through public awareness, testing, vaccination, and efforts to end stigma.

He called on the public to get screened and educate their families to prevent the spread of hepatitis.

“My recommendation to the citizens, is that hepatitis is preventable. Hepatitis is not a death sentence; Hepatitis is real. Let us use whatever little you can have. There are available facilities. Even though they are at a cost, you can still screen your family at this time. And this is the message I want to send to the South Sudanese,” he said.

“It is still a long way for us to eliminate hepatitis. But when we begin with the lessions, there is a high chance that we can move faster because our population is low. Yes, there are poor infrastructure, but we can use HIV structures that already exist, and we can make integration the best way for us to move forward with hepatitis elimination strategies,” he added.

According to the doctor, nearly 10 percent of South Sudanese have Hepatitis B and another 9.1 percent have Hepatitis C.