More awareness campaigns for Hepatitis needed, say experts

There is a need for similar awareness campaigns for Hepatitis in India as we have for polio or HIV, experts at AIIMS said today.
"We have had massive awareness campaigns for polio, HIV or tuberculosis in our country. Similarly, Hepatitis is also one such disease which can be prevented to a large extent if people know about it," S K Acharya HOD Gastroenterology, AIIMS said on the occasion of World Hepatitis day.
"Viral Hepatitis is inflammation of liver which is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Hepatitis B and Hepatistis C are major causes of Cirrhosis and Liver Cancer in India and they are preventable and treatable," he said.

According to Acharya, we do not have enough awareness campaigns about the disease in our country and therefore patients get to know about the disease at very late stages.
"We conduct IEC (Information, education and counselling) activity for spreading awareness about the disease. Such initiatives need to be taken at larger level so that people know atleast the basic symptoms and preventive measures of the disease," he said.
Hepatitis vaccination has to be implemented in the universal immunisation programme across the country. It is there in few states including Delhi, Haryana, West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh among others. The initiative needs to be spread to other states too, Acharya added.

According to an Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences (ILBS) report, India has over 40 million Hepatitis B infected patients, second only to China, and most people with chronic Hepatitis B or C are unaware of their infection, putting them at serious risk of developing cirrhosis or liver cancer which are life threatening.
"Hepatitis is preventable and curable to a larger extent if basic measures are taken. Vaccination is important and lifestyle habits including drinking purified water and healthy food should be taken care of as well," he said.