The Pension Fund Operators Association of Nigeria (PenOp), recently hosted an insightful knowledge-sharing session on liver damage, its prevention, and management.

PenOp said the virtual session, which was introduced by Adaobi Okoye, Head of Human Resources at PenOp, featured Dr. Akinkumi Ilori, a seasoned medical doctor and public health expert.

It further said the session attracted over 300 participants from various pension operators and provided a practical platform for learning, awareness, and engagement.

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According to PenOp, the session began with an overview of the liver's critical functions, including detoxification, metabolism, and vitamin storage, emphasising its central role in overall health.

It said the resource person, Ilori highlighted the global prevalence of liver disease and the urgent need for preventive strategies to combat rising mortality rates. He outlined the major causes of liver damage, such as viral hepatitis, excessive alcohol consumption, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, drug-induced injury, and autoimmune conditions.

Ilori also explained the differences between types of hepatitis, available vaccines, and early warning symptoms, stressing that prevention and timely medical intervention remained essential in reducing long-term complications. On lifestyle risks, He clarified that there was no safe level of alcohol consumption and noted obesity as a leading contributor to liver disease, alongside cardiovascular conditions and type 2 diabetes.

He also discussed diagnostic methods such as liver function tests, imaging techniques, and biopsies, which are critical in detecting and monitoring liver conditions.

PenOp further said participants were further guided through potential complications of untreated liver disease, including cirrhosis, liver failure, portal hypertension, hepatocellular carcinoma, and hepatic encephalopathy.