Revelations by the National Blood Transfusion Services (NBTS) that at least 10 per cent of the total amount of blood donated every month is thrown away because of various infections should be a wake-up call to the country's health authorities.

While HIV has always been the commonest infection, it is shocking to learn that viral hepatitis has silently become a serious public health threat.

A recent research reveals that hepatitis B accounts for five per cent of infected blood that is discarded by the NBTS every month, while hepatitis C accounts for three per cent. Unbelievably, HIV accounts for only one per cent.

The new study suggests that hepatitis is also silently hampering efforts to boost the national blood bank. There have always been concerns over the acute shortages of blood in local hospitals. Encouragingly, many Tanzanians appear to have responded to the call to donate blood. But that positive trend has a new threat in viral infections, which render a significant amount of donated blood useless. What then must be done? Health authorities need to raise awareness on hepatitis. Evidently, it is a little known, yet dangerous viral infection.

Hepatitis B and hepatitis C can become chronic, life-long infections, which can lead to liver cancer. Globally, reports say at least 4,000 people die every day from viral hepatitis - that's more than the number that die from HIV/Aids. In Tanzania, a recent study published in the BioMedCentral Journal, notes that a good number of health workers are among the thousands, if not millions, of Tanzanians living with chronic viral hepatitis, and many do not know they are infected.

Unknowingly, such workers spread the virus. The good news is that hepatitis A and B can both be prevented with vaccines. Cases of hepatitis can significantly decline due to vaccination efforts. Hygiene is also one of the most important factors for stopping the spread of hepatitis. The time to act is now.