{"id":1416,"date":"2021-07-27T12:05:11","date_gmt":"2021-07-27T12:05:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/utkalaage.in\/?p=1416"},"modified":"2021-07-27T12:05:12","modified_gmt":"2021-07-27T12:05:12","slug":"a-hepatitis-free-future-by-2030","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/utkalaage.in\/?p=1416","title":{"rendered":"A Hepatitis Free Future by 2030"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Hepatitis\nis an inflammation of the liver caused by infectious and non infectious causes.\nIt is a public health threat because of the burden of illness and death it\ncauses globally and in India, with a person dying every 30 seconds from a\nhepatitis related illness. Among the infectious causes, there are five main\nviruses– type A, B, C, D and E– responsible for causing viral hepatitis.  Type  B\nand C infections  are the most common\ncause of liver cirrhosis (scarring) and liver cancer in our country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hepatitis\nA and E infections are transmitted by ingestion of contaminated food and water.\nHepatitis B, C and D are spread by contact with blood and infected body\nfluids– the same way HIV enters the human body. But Hepatitis B is 100 times\nmore infectious than HIV. They do not spread by sharing of utensils, food or\ndrinks, breastfeeding, hugging, coughing, and sneezing. So the infected people\nshould not be discriminated at home, at the workplace, in the hospital or in\nthe society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As\nthe world celebrates decreasing mortality due to HIV\/AIDS, tuberculosis and\nmalaria, our community is alarmed at the rising number of deaths from viral\nhepatitis \u2013 a staggering 1.1 million each year that has increased by 22% since\n2000. There are 3 million new infections per year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Approximately 400 million people worldwide are infected with\nHepatitis B and C and if left\nuntreated they progress to liver cirrhosis<\/a> and other deadly complications, including liver cancer<\/a>, liver failure<\/a> and\npremature death. Most people who are\ninfected with Hepatitis B or C are mostly unaware of their infection as no\nsymptom manifests initially. It is scary that 95% of people living with viral\nhepatitis remain unaware that they are carrying a deadly infection, they are at\nhigh risk of developing chronic liver disease and complications and unknowingly\ntransmit the infection to healthy people.\nWithout tracing the undiagnosed and linking them to care, millions will\ncontinue to suffer and precious lives will be lost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hepatitis\nA and E cause acute infection, which subsides within a couple of months,\nwhereas Hepatitis B and C in addition cause chronic infections and subsequent\ncomplications. Acute infection occurs with minor or no symptoms, or may have\njaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes), dark urine, extreme fatigue, nausea,\nvomiting and abdominal pain. Most patients fully recover, but a small\nproportion die from acute hepatitis. Hepatitis E is the commonest and Hepatitis\nB the second most common cause for acute hepatitis in India. Women are at risk\nof death if they acquire hepatitis E infection during pregnancy. Hepatitis B is\nthe common cause of chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis and liver cancer in our\ncountry. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Viral hepatitis, the deadly disease can be prevented. Prevention\nof Hepatitis A and E infection can be achieved by improvement in sanitation and\nsewage disposal, measures for water and food safety. Safe and effective\nvaccines are widely available for the prevention of Hepatitis A. HEV vaccine\nwill be available in India soon. For Hepatitis B, the deadliest virus, a\nvaccine is available since 1982 which has an outstanding record of safety and\neffectiveness. It can be administered to any age and even in pregnancy.\nProtection lasts for lifelong, no booster injection is required. A single time\nvaccination, administered once during lifetime can prevent the deadly Hepatitis\nB infection. There is no vaccine for hepatitis C but research is on and the\nremedy depends on prevention of transmission into our body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those who are already infected and diagnosed early, very effective\nmedicines are available, a single tablet for three months can completely cure\nHepatitis C, and for Hepatitis B medications suppress the infection and prevent\ndevelopment of complications. Early diagnosis provides the best opportunity for\neffective medical support and prevention of further spread in the community.\nFor very advanced disease, liver transplantation is the option, where the\ndiseased liver is replaced with a healthy liver.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

World Hepatitis Day (WHD) is\nobserved each year on 28 July to raise awareness on viral hepatitis. This\nyear\u2019s theme is \u201cHepatitis can\u2019t wait<\/strong>\u201d, conveying the urgency\nof efforts needed to eliminate hepatitis as a public health threat by 2030.\u2013\neven in the current COVID-19 crisis \u2013 we can\u2019t wait to act on viral hepatitis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A WHO study found that an\nestimated 4.5 million premature deaths could be prevented in low- and\nmiddle-income countries by 2030 through vaccination, diagnostic tests,\nmedicines and education campaigns, raising  awareness about the global burden of viral\nhepatitis. To achieve elimination, greater awareness, increased\ndiagnosis and key interventions including universal vaccination, blood and\ninjection safety, harm reduction and treatment are all needed. A hepatitis-free\nfuture is achievable with a united effort<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The department of Gastroenterology at IMS and SUM Hospital at Bhubaneswar is the only of its kind which has been providing free screening and vaccination for Hepatitis B for the last 9 years. It is engaged in creating awareness among the people with a goal towards elimination of hepatitis. Siksha \u2018O\u2019 Anusandhan (Deemed to be University) of which the teaching hospital is a constituent, has also drawn up plans to take up a project for Hepatitis care among the tribal population of the state.<\/p>\n\n\n\n