KARACHI, May 6: Around eight million people across the country, constituting three to five per cent of the total population, are identified carriers of chronic hepatitis-C and hepatitis- B.
This was said by the chairman of the Department of Medicine, Aga Khan University, Prof S.M. Wasim Jafri, while addressing a tele-medicine symposium jointly organised by the Gastroenterology Section, Medicine Department, and the World Gastroenterology Section, here on Tuesday.
He called for urgent and concrete measures to prevent any further spread of the disease. He said that certain pockets in the country were also found to have the carrier rate of the virus as high as 40% to 50%.
The situation, if not adequately addressed, might play havoc increasing the chances of liver cancer and cirrhosis, he warned.
Those who gave presentations on the occasion were Prof Meinhard Classen (Munich), Prof Peter Ferenci (Vienna), Prof Reinhar Zachoval (Munich) and Dr Ewert Schulte (Munich).
The participants and the audience consisted of health-care providers, students and medical experts from different medical institutions of the city including the Aga Khan University, as well as those from Munich, Germany
The speakers said that treatment of the disease was expensive and not available to a large majority. They stressed the need for making safe blood transfusion services mandatory across the country coupled with availability of efficient screening facilities at all teaching hospitals.
Due caution on part of dental surgeons, across the board application of disposable syringes and needle cutters, use of sterilised needle used for ear and nose piercing were also recommended.
Dr Jafri, talking to APP, said irrational use of a wide range of drugs with liver toxicity was a major factor in the high rate of liver diseases in Pakistan.
Pain killers, antibiotics, vitamins, medicines for T.B, epilepsy and diabetes were particularly identified as harmful, particularly when taken without proper consultation of adequately qualified doctors. The gastroenterologist called for control and monitoring of the availability of drugs in Pakistan.
To a question he said that 25 per cent mortality rate was registered among pregnant women inflicted with hepatitis -E, largely caused through contaminated water.
Professor Ferenci, the symposium’s coordinator, discussed at length the epidemiology and management of hepatitis C. He said 5% to 10% of Pakistanis were at a high risk of getting inflicted with HCV.
Dr Ewert Schulte in his lecture on the evaluation of chronic hepatitis emphasised that medications prescribed for a variety of illnesses, particuarly herbal medications without scientific evaluations, could also result in chronic hepatitis. Professor Reinhart Zachoval discussed the epidemiology and management of hepatitis- B. The lectures were followed by case presentations.
Earlier, the AKU medical director, Dr Mohammad Khursheed presented the welcome address.
The World Gastroenterology Organization (OMGE) has recognised the Gastroenterology Section, Department of Medicine, as one of its research venues supplementing the efforts on the part of AKU to develop strong linkages with medical science research and teaching institutions around the globe.—APP
