‘Concerted efforts needed to control hepatitis’
LAHOREHepatitis is a fast spreading disease in Pakistan, which is among high prevalence countries therefore concerted efforts of all the departments concerned are needed to control this menace. A mass awareness campaign should also be launched across the Punjab while a topic on hepatitis control should also be included in
By our correspondents
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June 05, 2015
LAHORE
Hepatitis is a fast spreading disease in Pakistan, which is among high prevalence countries therefore concerted efforts of all the departments concerned are needed to control this menace. A mass awareness campaign should also be launched across the Punjab while a topic on hepatitis control should also be included in the school syllabus.
It was stated by Adviser to Chief Minister on Health Khawaja Salman Rafique while presiding over a high level meeting to review hepatitis control activities at the Directorate General Health Services, according to a handout issued on Thursday.
Besides convener of working group and Prof. of Gastroenteritis of Lahore General Hospital Prof. Ghayas-un-Nabi Tayyab, officers of Health Department, Auqaf, Social Welfare, Environment, School Education, Blood Transfusion Authority, Institute of Blood Transfusion Services and officers of Punjab Information Technology Board attended the meeting.
Prof. Ghayas-un-Nabi Tayyab briefed about the hepatitis situation in the country, especially in Punjab. He told the media that at present there were about seven million carriers of hepatitis B and C in Punjab. He said that in order to control this deadly disease, there was a need to evolve a three-pronged strategy against hepatitis, which was monitoring of disease, prevention and treatment. He said that unsafe treatment by quacks, use of unsterilised surgical instruments by dentists and doctors, instruments of barbers, reuse of disposable syringes, unsafe blood transfusion and recycling of hospitals’ waste were among causes of hepatitis. All the departments apprised the meeting regarding the steps taken for control of hepatitis.
Kh. Salman Rafique said there was a need to take strict administrative decisions and launch a mass awareness campaign regarding hepatitis so that people should refrain from getting treatment from quacks and such dentists who did not use sterilised surgical instruments. He said the people should always insist on the use of new blade while having a shave by barbers. He said the Punjab Health Department had activated the Blood Transfusion Authority after 15 years to ensure safe blood transfusion. He said the action had been started against spurious blood banks. However, people should also prefer fresh donors and screened blood for blood transfusion to their patients, he added. Kh. Salman Rafique said there were hundreds of hospitals and clinics in every city and safe disposal of hospitals’ waste was essential to curb its recycling. Kh. Salman Rafique stressed that Environment, Auqaf and Education Departments had to play their significant role in hepatitis control.
He said the ulema and religious scholars could create awareness among people regarding diseases. Similarly, a chapter should also be included in the syllabus of schools, he maintained.