19 January 2005	Wednesday	08 Zilhaj 1425

KARACHI, Jan 18: Hepatitis E, endemic in Asian and African region has particularly emerged as a serious health hazard for expecting mothers in Pakistan, mainly due to contaminated water intake , experts speaking at sessions of an intensive course on liver diseases said.

The course was held under the aegis of Sarwar Zubeiri Center for Liver Disease, Dow University of Health Sciences, on Tuesday. Prof Nusrat A Khan of Gynecology and Obstetric department, Civil Hospital, DUHS, Assistant Prof Abdul Nadir, Arizona Medical University, USA, and Prof K M Azhar, Vice Chancellor, Baqai Medical University, during the inaugural session underscored all necessary measures to prevent the fast growing incidence of liver diseases in Pakistan.

They also sought proper understanding on part of local doctors to ensure correct diagnosis and timely intervention to at least prolong lives of the patients suffering from the disease, who may not necessarily be cured.

It was further observed that liver transplantation was the only viable option to cure liver failure, and could be streamlined once cadaver organ donation was legalized along with public education and motivation.

Dr Nusrat Khan, in his presentation on "Liver Diseases Among Pregnant Women", explicitly discussed the varied types of liver ailments and their impact on expecting women, reminding that these women in most of the instances were at high risk to lose their lives.

She, however, mentioned that the women with liver transplant could safely conceive and deliver babies, but it was preferable to plan a child after a year or two following the transplant.

Referring to the incidence of Hepatitis B, she reiterated the significance of mandatory vaccination of all mothers and children, as for Hepatitis C, she said that no vaccines were available for the latter, but the mothers administered with anti-HBV vaccines would provide protection again the virus to the infants born to them.

It was reminded that 20 per cent to 45 per cent of those suffering from one or the other liver condition, including cirrhosis, were registered to be suffering from hypertension, adding and that 10-15 per cent were at the risk of losing their lives during labour.

Prof K M Azhar, in his inaugural speech, referring to the fact that liver diseases, though mainly preventable, continued to afflict a significant number of local population, often pushing them to a stage where absolute recovery was negligible, reminded that liver transplant had made the difference. He in this regard called for public education, prevention and provision for modern mode of treatment for those unable to survive due to complications.

Referring to recent estimates that show that 25 per cent of the above 30 year population was at high risk of having liver disease, he said it was mainly a responsibility of medical community to adopt an efficient strategy, but regretted that a lack of will prevailed at almost all levels to address the issue, besides indifference to develop a research culture in the country.

Highlighting the apathy towards higher education in the Muslim world, he mentioned that of the total 17,000 universities across the globe, mere 600 were in the Muslim countries.

Dr Abdul Nadir, in his presentation on 'Management of Fluid and Pulmonary Problems in Liver Diseases' mentioned that 80 per cent of the liver organ recipients managed to survive in the countries where the facility was available on regular basis, as due attention was paid to keep in constant check the vital signs of patients.

Reminding that since liver was a multifunctional organ, hence clinical manifestation of fluid disorder could also be noticed through dysfunction of other human organs. -APP