LARKANA, April 26: Keeping in view rising incidence of hepatitis B cases in Larkana and Qambar-Shahdadkot districts, a technical core group has recommend mass vaccination against the disease in the area.
The core group was constituted after the Senate and the health department expressed concern over the growing number of people affected by hepatitis delta virus in Larkana district.
A recent meeting of the group was briefed about a study conducted at medical unit-II of the Chandka Medical College Hospital. It study indicated that symptoms of delta virus were found in 77 patients out of 100 patients of hepatitis B, and proposed mass vaccination coupled with efforts to strengthen the mechanism of routine immunisation.
EDO, Health, Larkana Mohammad Sharif Shaikh, told the meeting that 15 of those affected by hepatitis delta virus belonged to Larkana district.
Hepatitis C was found in the areas where high prevalence of quackery existed, said Professor Wazeer Mohammed Shaikh, head of the department of medicine in the CMCH.
The Provincial Coordinator of Prime Minister’s Hepatitis Programme for Sindh, Dr Zulfikar Ali Gorar, told the meeting that the ministry of health had taken the stance that the patients affected by the virus would not be provided drugs from the provisions of PM’s programme.
He said that cases of the virus were detected after introduction of surveillance system in November 2006 and added that two/thirds of the patients belonged to Qambar-Shahdadkot district and only one/third to Larkana district.
The management of CMCH and Dr Ghulam Akbar Solangi, the clinical coordinator of the prime minister’s programme, urged the provincial coordinator to take up the case with the ministry of health.
It also suggested establishment of a hepatitis delta virus registry at the district and provincial level for recording the data regarding the virus.
The Delta Virus is an RNA (Ribo Nucleic Acid) type virus normally known as dependent virus. Dr Hakim Ali Abro Associate Prof of Medicine at CMCH Larkana said that when Delta Virus infects the patient of hepatitis B it increases the chances of developing Cirrhosis of Liver making the treatment long and difficult, he said.