JACOBABAD, Nov 1: Cases of Hepatitis-B and C are increasing in the district and as per reports, 45 per cent people are suffering from the disease in Jacobabad and its adjoining villages.

According to Civil Surgeon of the Civil Hospital, Khalid Hussain Bhangar, there were 30 per cent patients of Hepatitis -C.

When contacted, in charge of Jacobabad blood bank, said that 33 per cent patients tested positive with Hepatitis-C and 12 per cent of them believed to have contracted Hepatitis-B.

Vice President of the Pakistan Medical Association Sindh chapter, Dr A.G.Ansari, said that 45 per cent people were having Hepatitis-B and C and more than 35 per cent patients belonged to Jacobabad district only.

According to statistics collected by the PMA-run blood bank of Jacobabad during the last seven months, blood samples of 315 people were tested to detect the deadly disease.

Of them 115 samples were found with Hepatitis-C while 36 contained virus of Hepatitis-B which makes about 45 per cent of hepatitis patients in the district.

A physician, Dr Abdullah Saeed, said that the situation has turned dangerous due to lack of basic health facilities, unhygienic and polluted atmosphere, use of recycled syringes and blood transfusion and high temperature in the area.

Another doctor said that hepatitis tests cost Rs5,000 which was beyond the reach of a common man.

The people have demanded of the government to constitute special medical teams and provide vaccines and life saving drugs on urgent basis to eradicate the fatal disease from the district.

EDO health Kandhkot, Agha Noor Ahmed Pathan, said that there was no centre for the screening of hepatitis patients.

He demanded of the government to establish a laboratory in the district as the people of the district have to go to other areas for such tests.