Laxma Reddy calls for aggressive hepatitis awareness

Apollo Hospitals group set up a mass Hepatitis awareness and screening camps across twenty nine centres in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. Health Minister Dr C Laxma Reddy joined by Consultant Gastroenterologist at Apollo Hospitals Dr K Somasekhar, Dr Naveen Polavarapu and Dr C Suman announced the locations at which the mega camp was being held.

The host cities in the state include Hyderabad, Karimnagar, Adilabad, Khammam, Warangall and Mahboob nagar; Andhra Pradesh’s Kakinada, Nellore, Guntur, Amalapuram, Kurnool, Ongole, Srikakulam and Vishakhapatnam and Gangavathi and Raichur of Karnataka were a host to the awareness camp.

Speaking on the occasion Dr Reddy said there is a great need to create awareness about diseases and their prevention. “Prevalence of hepatitis is high in some pockets of the State. We are working towards creating awareness amongst the people of these areas and reduce the incidence,” he said.

Stating one of the reasons for spread of Hepatitis virus as the contaminated drinking water and food, he said, “Besides creating awareness on this aspect, the Government of Telangana has taken up Mission Bhagiratha to provide potable water to the people.”

“The other measures to prevent spread of Hepatitis virus being undertaken are supply of vaccination for Hepatitis 'B' wherein all the government hospitals are stocking the vaccine, dialysis centres are being asked to restrict the usage of filters for not more than one time,” he added.

“There are forty dialysis centres being established by Government, twelve of which are already functional, will strictly follow the rule of single usage of filters, accordingly tenders have been floated,” Reddy said.

Reasoning Hepatitis A & E to be the cause acute liver failure and Hepatitis B & C for chronic liver failure Somasekhar said, “While Hepatitis A & E spread through contaminated food and water, Hepatitis B & C come through injecting of intravenous drugs, through transmission of contaminated blood and transfer from mother to child during birth.

Hepatitis virus can be completely eradicated and this exercise is the first step towards that objective.” Dr Polavarapu also stated that Hepatitis could lead to liver cirrhosis and liver cancer.

He further said “Viral hepatitis, caused by hepatitis viruses A,B,C and E, still remains a major public health problem. India is prone to hepatitis B surface antigen (HBs Ag) and an estimated 40 million chronic Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) infected people, constituting approximately 11 per cent of the estimated global burden. Population prevalence of chronic Hepatitis C Virus (HCV) infection in India is around 1 percent.

“For hepatitis A and E, there are no specific treatments having a bearing on the control of infectious source. However, safe water and food and awareness on public health measures need to be rapidly implemented,” informed Dr Polavarapu.

“Prevalence of hepatitis C has been observed to be relatively higher in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana besides few other States,” he added.
“The HEV vaccine is likely to be available soon in India. Pregnant women and patients with cirrhosis would be priority groups for HEV vaccination.

Interruption of transmission of viral hepatitis can be achieved by education and increasing the awareness of the public and medical personnel; improved sanitation and safe drinking water (for HAV/HEV prevention) and emphasizing the importance of safe blood and injections,” he concluded.