Launching urgent hepatitis awareness drive stressed

LAHORE:Prof of Medicine Kind Edward Medical University, Mayo Hospital, Dr Israr Ul Haq Toor Monday said Pakistan had the second highest burden of hepatitis C virus infection in the world and its cases were on the rise amid a decline in the number of hepatitis B cases.

Talking to reporters, Dr Toor said a major barrier in tackling the health challenge was that the majority of the infected patients were unaware of their hepatitis status.

He said Hepatitis B, C and D cause liver failure and liver cancer and patients suffering from this life-threatening disease remain unaware. He said there is a need to start an awareness campaign on an emergency basis regarding annual medical examination and diagnostic tests among citizens so that people can be protected from this deadly disease.

Dr Toor said hepatitis inflammation in the liver can lead to a wide range of health problem including liver cancer. He said five main strains of hepatitis virus A,B,C,D & E are globally known for which in Pakistan it is much important to go for in time screening of this disease.

He asked doctors that apart from treatment they must concentrate on creating awareness among patients to remain careful and adopt precautionary measures in this regard.

He said raising awareness about screening for the prevention of the growing disease of hepatitis in the country is the most important need of the hour without which it is not possible to reduce the cost of treatment by crores of rupees and mortality rate. Similarly, the symptoms of hepatitis do not appear immediately but death in 20 seconds, due to complications, is a terrible thing to deal with which the citizens have to ensure treatment well in time.

Toor pointed out that due to better healthcare system and easy availability of diagnostic facilities in Punjab as compared to other areas, screening for hepatitis is also increasing due to which more cases of hepatitis-C are being reported in the province. Highlighting the symptoms of jaundice, he said that itching of the eyes, feeling tired, loss of appetite, itchy skin, nausea, numbness of hands and feet and fever are the symptoms of hepatitis. Dr Toor maintained the sad situation is that 9 out of 10 people do not even know that they have hepatitis. He said that people who are unaware of hepatitis cannot wait for diagnosis and their immediate treatment is required. He said in the past, treatment of hepatitis was very expensive and difficult, but the results were not even significant, but now new anti-virus drugs to treat of jaundice are very effective, easy and without complications. Therefore, instead of being scared and frightened, citizens should undergo screening of hepatitis as soon as possible so that their lives can be saved by timely treatment, Dr Toor concluded.