HYDERABAD, May 19: Participants of a seminar were informed here on Wednesday that 817 policemen of Hyderabad district were carriers of hepatitis B and C. The seminar, aimed at spreading awareness on hepatitis , was organised by the district police headquarters at the Sindh Museum. A large number of hepatitis victims also attended the seminar.

Assistant Professor of the Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences Dr Bekha Ram, gastroenterologist Dr Sadiq Memon of the Isra University hospital, Dr Ziauddin Anwar Memon and others spoke on the occasion. They urged the policemen to adopt preventive measures and avoid reuse of syringes and shaving razors.

The seminar was informed that six per cent of Pakistani people were affected by hepatitis. Dr Memon said that the blood of around 6,000 policemen and members of families was screened for hepatitis and 817 of them were found to be carriers of hepatitis B and C.

DPO A. D. Khawaja said that in the first phase around 4,500 policemen and members of their families had been vaccinated against the disease while the rest were being vaccinated with the help of philanthropists.

Dr Memon and Dr Bekha Ram stated that though the treatment was expensive but patients must strive hard to complete the course to save their lives. They informed the audience that treatment of the disease was spread over six months, costing Rs6,000 per month.

The experts said that patients were shocked after they were found to be hepatitis carries and added that majority of people were infected because they did not get themselves vaccinated against the disease.

They said that it had been observed that hepatitis victims approached doctors at a very late stage because their blood was not screened at the right time. They said that it was a curable disease and the patients should not get panicky but create a spirit among them to fight the disease.

The speakers said that the virus in the bodies of around 70 per cent patients become inactive after treatment nevertheless the patients suffered from depression. They urged the patients to get their tests regularly conducted and to take regular treatment to prevent the disease from becoming irreversible.