Manzoor Qadir thepost.com
Pakistan is also among countries where World Hepatitis Day would be observed on Monday (today) to create awareness among people about the killer disease - its spread, prevention and treatment.
According to World Health Organization the control of hepatitis outbreak has become a burning issue in Asian countries, especially with around 1.5 million cases of hepatitis occurring each year. Several governmental and non governmental bodies have planned here to mark the day.
In 2004, Imtiaz Bibi (52), a mother of five, was knocked down by a motorcycle rickshaw as she crossed the Ravi road to pay homage to Data Sahib. As a result she was rushed to nearby hospital where she was given a blood. Some three years later - 2007, she was to discover that the life-saving treatment had in fact led to her contracting hepatitis C due to unscreened blood.
"In December 2007, I went to Diabetic Clinic, Lady Wallington hospital for my check up while I was there the duty doctor Ejaz Haider suggested me some blood tests as I wasn't looking that well," she narrated her story, adding that when the results came, doctor discovered that I had hepatitis C. Her further tests confirmed that she was suffering from lethal disease.
His doctor at Mayo hospital Suhail Bashir Sulehria said that this disease can't be cured fully but can only be eliminated through continue treatment. Imtiaz Bibi wife of Aftab Ahmad, a shopkeeper of general store and can not afford such costly treatment. So, under the Prime minister's scheme, she was getting interferon injections and hopefully she would be recovered soon, he added.
This is just one story out of about 17 million patients of Hepatitis B and C in the country, of different ages. Hepatitis B and C is a serious public health problem in the country and estimated 50,000 die from this disease each year.
Health experts said there are two types of viral hepatitis in Pakistan, one is short lived and self-limited hepatitis A and E usually spread through feco-oral-route while hepatitis C and B is a blood borne disease.
Professor at Fatima Jinnah Medical College and head of Gastroenterology department at Sir Ganga Ram hospital Dr Irshad Hussain said that almost one forth of the world populations has exposure to hepatitis, adding, Pakistan is no exception as every 12th individual has hepatitis B and C virus.
Consultant Gastroenterologist and Hepatologist Dr Irshad said that hepatitis is a curable disease and there is a need to create awareness among masses about its prevention as well as control from spreading at a large scale. B or C, both forms of viral hepatitis can lead to cirrhosis, liver cancer and liver transplantation and yet both can often be treated effectively, and in many cases, even cured, he remarked.
Postgraduate Institute of Medical Sciences Punjab Principal Prof Sajjad Hussain maintained said that the treatment of hepatitis is too costly and is out of reach of a common man. Therefore, he said, vaccination against hepatitis B is a safe intervention to prevent the deadly disease. He said hepatitis was spreading in developing countries just because masses had no information about the ways and means to prevent the disease at the initial stages.
Use of unscreened blood , reuse of infected needles/syringes, dental and other invasive healthcare services are spreading this disease, he maintained.
He said that creating public awareness is of immense importance and media can play a vital role in this regard. "The prevention is the only solution up till now to cope with the disease, he added. Dr Shoiab Nabi, a thoracic surgeon at Service hospital observed that Hepatitis A and B vaccine is recommended to all those above 18 years old. "Clinical trials of the hepatitis B vaccines have shown that they are 80-95 % effective in preventing hepatitis infection.
