Prevalence of hepatitis recorded at 2.79pc in 9 UCs, 9.95pc in Fauji Colony

Rawalpindi:The prevalence of hepatitis among population in as many as nine union councils of Rawalpindi has been recorded as 2.79 per cent through rapid test under the Localized Hepatitis Elimination and Prevention Project (LHEAP) however, the highest rate of prevalence has been recorded among population in Fauji Colony area near Pirwadhai that is around 9.95 per cent.

The LHEAP project was launched exclusively in Rawalpindi district on July 10 last year initially in four union councils falling under the jurisdiction of Rawal Town that was later expanded to nine union councils of the district including UCs 6, 8, 10, 11, 14, 15, 32, 33 and 116.

The data collected by ‘The News’ on Sunday has revealed that out of a total of 36,293 persons screened for hepatitis B and C through a door-to-door campaign in as many as nine union councils from July 10, 2023 to February 15 this year, as many as 1012 have been found positive for hepatitis including 186 positive for hepatitis B virus, 811 positive for hepatitis C virus and 15 positive for both HCV and HBV. Out of a total of 1,012 positive results through rapid tests, 518 patients have been confirmed positive for hepatitis, said Chief Executive Officer LHEAP Dr. Anser Ishaq while talking to ‘The News’ on Sunday. He said to date, a total of 401 persons have been tested positive for hepatitis C through PCR, 111 for hepatitis B and six for both hepatitis B and C.

He added the PCR results in as many as 86 cases are being awaited by LHEAP. The teams of LHEAP have so far visited a total of 8,439 houses in the nine union councils and have administered a total of 20,276 doses of vaccine against hepatitis B, he said. It is important that the LHEAP project is providing the facilities of testing and treatment free of cost to patients in the selected UCs for hepatitis B and C.

Dr. Anser said the treatment of as many as 28 patients suffering from hepatitis B and 287 patients suffering from hepatitis C has already been started under the project. All the patients being tested positive for hepatitis under the project would be given free of cost treatment at the LHEAP primary health care unit, established at Municipal Medical Centre along 5th Road in Satellite Town, the Red Crescent Complex, he said.

It is worth mentioning here that early detection of hepatitis helps avoiding a number of serious complications particularly among hepatitis C patients as hepatitis C may cause contraction of liver – called cirrhosis – or ascites (distention of abdomen due to accumulation of water) or liver cancer.

Dr. Anser said the prevalence of hepatitis among the population in Fauji Colony area has been found much higher, around 10 per cent, which is much alarming particularly because the majority of the patients tested positive were not aware of their status.