New Lease of Life for Patients with Liver Diseases

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Piseth’s Diary Cambodia – 18 December 2008

Liver cirrhosis and liver cancer are the major health problems in Asia. This is because various causes of chronic liver diseases are common in many parts of Asia. Chronic hepatitis B is common in countries like China, Hong Kong, Thailand and Taiwan, with approximately 10-20% of the general population being hepatitis B carriers. Chronic hepatitis C is also common in certain countries such as Mongolia, Pakistan, Myanmar, and parts of Indonesia. In addition, fatty liver disease, a disease that is associated with prosperity such as overweight, obesity, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus is also becoming more prevalent in Asia, as many Asian countries are enjoying good economic growth and prosperity over last few decades. There is little official data on prevalence of liver diseases in Cambodia. But my own personal anecdotal experience suggests both Hepatitis B and C are prevalent in Cambodia.