MWANZA, Aug. 2 -- FORTY-FOUR out of 441 Mwanza residents who turned up for a free hepatitis screening at Bugando Zonal Referral Hospitals Specialised Polyclinic were found to be infected.

The screening, part of World Hepatitis Day activities, also provided free vaccinations to the remaining participants.

The hospitals specialist in internal medicine and liver diseases, Dr David Majinge, noted that hepatitis cases appear to be on the rise, with the hospital receiving between six and eight new patients weekly.

He urged the public to undergo regular checkups and emphasised the importance of completing the full three-dose vaccination schedule.

The first dose is administered after screening, followed by the second dose after one month and ...