LAHORE, Feb 28: The much-awaited national congress on gastroenterology began here on Friday with the aim to create public awareness about the potentially lethal Hepatitis B and bring this vital issue to the attention of policy-makers.

The congress was inaugurated by Governor Khalid Maqbool.

The theme of the three-day Congress 2003 is “Spreading awareness to prevent Hepatitis”, as health care is passing through a transitional phase in which newer technologies, economic issues and changing social factors are influencing the standard of medical education and disease management.

The Hepatitis B virus (HBV) can infect people of all ages. It infects some 200,000 people in the US every year and is spreading at an alarming rate in Pakistan as well.

The governor lauded the Pakistan Society of Gastroen-terology and Gastrointestinal Endoscopy for choosing a very relevant topic for discussion, which is a critical area of concern for our health care system.— APP