KARACHI: Experts urge timely prevention of hepatitis
KARACHI, Dec 9: Pakistan, with an estimated number of seven million carriers of hepatitis B, needs to initiate a comprehensive vaccination campaign against the disease at all levels. Health-care experts, addressing a symposium, “Causes, Prevention and Management of Hepatitis” here on Tuesday said hepatitis was a global problem with Pakistan holding an enormous share of it.
Viral hepatitis in all its forms is common in Pakistan. Viral hepatitis A and E do not produce any chronic problems, and once the patient is cured he or she is cured for life. Chronic hepatitis due to hepatitis B and C was causes disaster with the development of cirrhosis and liver cancer.
Experts at the symposium said Pakistan had five per cent of the world wide 350 million carriers of the hepatitis B virus.
Prof Zaman A Sheikh said the situation placed an enormous burden not only on the government but also on patients compelling them to spend millions of rupees on medical care which largely remained unsatisfactory in the face of the limited availability of treatment options.
Prevention of the disease through timely vaccination was termed the most preferable alternative, particularly as hepatitis B can be significantly prevented by providing early vaccination against the infection, preferably in the first week after the birth.
This, it was said, was significant as there is also mother to infant transmission of the virus which occurs at the time of the birth.
Ninety five per cent of infants who acquire the infection very early in life are at high risk to become chronic carriers of hepatitis B. Although less than 10 per cent of the patients acquiring the infection in adult life turn into carriers. The symposium strongly recommended that all individuals in general, and those at high risk as health-care workers, dentists, paramedics and nurses in particular, must be vaccinated against hepatitis B.
The disease can also be considerably prevented through safe blood transfusion, use of disposable needles and syringes, safe disposal of hospital waste, besides application of sterilized surgical and dental equipment.
Dr Niaz A Siddiqui in his presentation, said once chronic hepatitis evolved due to Hepatitis B or C, effective treatment had to be given in order to help the patients. According to experts, effective treatment for hepatitis C, provided diagnosis is done well on time, is also available in Pakistan. However, being very expensive it is not affordable for ordinary people.
It was strongly stressed that all government hospitals should have proper screening tests, and at the same time poor patients should also be offered the same treatment which the rich could afford.
Regarding hepatitis B, it was said that treatment was available to help to reduce the concentration of the virus, but the total elimination with the currently available treatment of hepatitis B was not possible.
The chief guest, senior physician Dr S.M.Rab, in his concluding remarks, pointed out that medications prescribed for many illnesses could also result in chronic hepatitis, especially herbal medications presently being marketed across the country without proper scientific evaluations.
Prof Jalisi, director J. J. Hospital, offered the vote of thanks and urged concerted efforts on the part of health-care providers to combat the disease. — APP
