Hepatitis B and C are vaccine preventable diseases and yet they continue to be the most commonly reported Vaccine Preventable diseases. Getting vaccinated especially when you are at high risk provides the best protection from these diseases. Universal Vaccine for Hepatitis b and C is one of the effective prevention and an opportunity to ensure that the newborns have a healthy life. It is also a significant step towards eradicating this deadly disease.
Following the same league, Mohali based hospital has so far done more than 500 free screenings for hepatitis B and C and the patients were further tested at the hospitals. It included the attendants, staff, patients and few others. Hepatitis B & C are amongst the common causes of liver cirrhosis and liver cancer. Dr Arvind Sahni, Gastroenterology in Mohali while addressing patients during a seminar organized on the occasion of World Hepatitis Day on Thursday said, “The theme of WHO for this year’s hepatitis day was ‘No Hep’, aiming to eliminate the disease by 2030.” This Mohali Hospital is following the same theme and is doing it’s part setting an example for other such hospitals.
Dr Arvind Sahni said, “India has over 35 million people infected with Hepatitis B and over 40 million people infected with hepatitis C. Hepatitis B & C are known as silent killers and cause a hidden epidemic. The annual death rate due to hepatitis C alone is approximately 1,00,000.”
He added, “Rapid strides had been made in the field of hepatitis C taking the cure rate to over 95%. As the signs and symptoms of liver disease due to hepatitis B & C appear late, only a blood test is a definite way of detecting these viruses. That’s why we offered free testing for hepatitis B & C today in the IPD lobby, so that family members of patients and our staff could benefit from this activity.”
Out of the two deadly diseases, Hepatitis C is the one which cannot be prevented as it has no strong vaccine against the virus, whereas hepatitis B can be prevented by three doses of hepatitis B vaccine. The doctor advised the people who gathered for the meet about other preventive measures that could be taken in order to prevent these diseases which included encouraging voluntary blood donation, avoiding abuse of intravenous drugs, proper testing of these viruses in certified blood banks, practicing safe sex, avoid tattooing, avoid taking any blood or blood products that have not been tested for these viruses and using sterilized needles and syringes.
