About 3,000 people die every year in Moldova from hepatitis, and 200 others obtain invalid status because of chronic forms and complications like hepatic cirrhosis. At the same time, the incidence of viral hepatitis B dropped 10 times in the last 14 years, according to data published on Friday by the Health Ministry ahead of the World Hepatitis Day on July 28. “We should remark that we have managed to reduce the risk of hepatitis infections by providing all maternity hospitals with vaccines which are given free of charge and mandatorily to all the newborns . The younger the age the vaccine is administrated, the greater its effectiveness”, Health Minister Andrei Usatyi told a news conference. Constantin Spynu, deputy head of the National Public Health Center, noted that 32% of the hepatitis sufferers contracted the disease through unprotected sex, and 15% became infected during surgeries and other medical procedures. The most frequent form of hepatitis is B, followed by C and D, and 57% of the total number of people living with HIV are also suffering from viral hepatitis. Doctors advise people to get hepatitis B vaccines, avoid unprotected sex and make sure that the instruments used in medical and cosmetic procedures are sterile. Latest statistics show that today there are around 80,000 people living with hepatitis in Moldova.