KARACHI, May 30: Dr Faizullah Kakar, Medical Officer (Epidemiology), WHO, Islamabad, has forewarned that a possible outbreak of hepatitis-E in Hyderabad was feared in the next two months.

Talking to the APP, following a public awareness programme on hepatitis, Dr Kakar maintained that urgent measures were required to preempt the possible outbreak of the disease, which though largely self-limiting, could lead to severe dehydration among its patients, leading to other serious problems.

"Essential steps, as improved understanding on part of doctors and paramedics about the disease and required intervention as well as drug protocol, may perhaps be pertinent in the given situation," Dr Kakar said.

He also observed that adequate awareness about the disease among the people of the area was needed, without creating any unnecessary scare. "They must be made to realize as how important it is to have clean water and improved hygienic conditions," he said, reminding that available data revealed that the incidence of hepatitis A and E, under normal conditions too were high in Sindh.

People must be informed how to tackle the situation, if hepatitis-E broke out and what necessary measures could be adopted, Dr Kakar stressed. According to him a comprehensive approach was required in large parts of the developing world for provision of safe water, with major emphasis on prevention against a wide range of water-borne diseases, which under certain conditions become extremely hazardous.

Meanwhile, Dr Waquaruddin Ahmed, a gastroenterologist associated with the Pakistan Medical Research Council told APP that the hepatitis-E was particularly fatal for pregnant women.

The available data revealed that no less than 20 per cent expectant mothers died if inflicted with the hepatitis-E virus, he said. Mentioning that hepatitis-E virus was self-limiting, he said necessary information and easy availability of drugs could be ensured in all hospitals, particularly those operating in the public sector.

Earlier, in his presentation, Dr Kakar urged that people must be duly sensitized regarding prevention of hepatitis, adding that HBV and HCV were blood-borne and extremely fatal.

With regard to the exact magnitude of HBV and HCV, he said these were registered to be considerably high in the country, while a study regarding hospital-based mortality by liver diseases, conducted in 2002, revealed that seven per cent of all such deaths were due to liver cancer.

"About four per cent of all cancer deaths in the country are registered to be due to liver cancers," he further mentioned. He strongly recommended across-the-board vaccination of infants against hepatitis, which was being offered free of cost under the Expanded Programme on Immunization (EPI).

He also recommended improved injection safety, improved blood transfusion safety, importance of sterilized surgical and other hospital equipment and a check on reuse of syringes and needles.

The event organized by the Al-Mustafa Welfare Society as the third programme of its ongoing sessions on public awareness, was also addressed by Dr GN Kazi, Sindh Operation Officer, WHO, Haji Mohammad Hanif Tayyab, Chief Patron of the society and Sardar Mohammad Yasin, who was the chief guest on the occasion. -APP