Importance of celebrating World Hepatitis Day

World Hepatitis Day is observed every year on July 28 to raise awareness about viral hepatitis, a liver infection that can cause serious liver disease and cancer.   In Nagaland, the National Viral Hepatitis Control Program (NVHCP) and ARK Foundation have fixed July 24 as the official date to be held at the CMO Conference Hall in Dimapur on Sunday (July 28).

This year’s theme is ‘Activity Time’.  Dr.  Misweno Pinchelo Ngo welcomed this thread.They emphasized the importance of a joint fight against hepatitis. This is done through education and promotion of prevention and treatment methods.

In the case of hepatitis, infected people are living at the wrong time because a few years ago, treatment for viral hepatitis was a painful and expensive experience, said Kithu Angami of the ARK Foundation. Before the advent of oral therapy, viral hepatitis could only be treated with injectable drugs that were painful, expensive, and had serious side effects.

However, oral medications are now available to treat hepatitis with minimal side effects and high cure rates.

He warned that the hepatitis C virus is highly resistant and can survive outside the human body for long periods of time.   He therefore urged health workers to take extra precautions to maintain a sterile environment for all patients as the virus can spread easily.

  Kitto said the incidence of viral hepatitis is expected to increase due to drug use of sunflower seeds, mostly through shared needles, spoons or swabs.

He emphasized the importance of increasing hepatitis C awareness and screening programs to detect and treat hepatitis C as early as possible to prevent the spread of hepatitis C.

Dr. Pinchilo Nzol, NVHCP Dimapur Zonal Nodal Specialist informed the participants about the causes, types and methods of transmission of various hepatitis viruses.   He noted that of the five types (A, B, C, D and E), hepatitis E poses the greatest risk to pregnant women, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems. Dr. Ngoli also noted that in some cases, hepatitis B and hepatitis C infections can resolve on their own without harming the host. But in some rare cases, if left untreated, it can lead to cirrhosis or even liver cancer.

He informed the audience that hepatitis B and C screening will be conducted at all health and wellness centers in Dimapur and diagnostic and treatment services will be provided at district hospitals.

Also, he said that hepatitis B vaccination will be given in private medical facilities, where everyone can get the vaccine and high-risk groups can benefit from free public health facilities.

Reference 

Author: MedBlog18 Blog Team

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