About four million Ghanaians have hepatitis, that is according to a survey conducted by the Pharmaceutical Council of Ghana. The survey also reveals 16 percent of pregnant women screened at the Korle Bu and Efia Nkwanta Hospitals have the chronic form of the disease. Hepatitis is a virus infection characterised the inflammation of the liver and the presence of inflammatory cells in the tissues of the organs. A member of the Pharmaceutical Council, Dr. Steven Corquaye, says early screening will prevent the rapid damage to the liver. “The virus actually damages the liver gradually over a long period. Sometimes the damage is very rapid and most of the time it is gradual,” he noted. Dr. Corquaye says noted that whilst some patients may show no symptoms at all, others show “what they call the acute situation which comes with fever; malaria-like symptoms.” Dr. Corquaye says sexual contact is not the only mode of transmission of the disease as many believe but the most common mode of transmission is from mother to child, noted.