ISLAMABAD: Like other parts of the globe, World Hepatitis Day (WHD) is also being observed in Pakistan today to promote awareness about the disease that affects the liver.
WHD is marked every year on 28th July bringing the world together under a single theme to raise awareness of the global burden of Viral Hepatitis and to influence real change.
Hepatitis is the 8th highest cause of mortality globally and was responsible for an estimated 1.34 million deaths in 2015, a toll comparable to that of HIV and tuberculosis.
Globally, 257 million persons are chronically infected with Hepatitis B and 71 million with Hepatitis C. At this rate, an estimated 20 million deaths are to occur between 2015 and 2030.
Commemorating the day Shifa International Hospital here has launched ‘Find the Missing Millions’, an awareness campaign to educate, influence national testing policies and encourage people to get screened and become advocates in the quest to find the undiagnosed.
This campaign has been launched to bring much-needed attention to the fact that millions of people are living with Viral Hepatitis unaware. It should also be used to inspire the community to take action to support the uptake in screening and diagnosis, whilst driving action to join the quest and link people living with the disease to care.
Within Pakistan, 12 million people are suffering from Hepatitis B or C. It is estimated that annually some 150,000 Pakistanis get infected due Therapeutic injections, syringe reuse, surgery, improper sterilization of invasive medical devices, contaminated blood transfusion and sharing of razors (for instance while getting a shave from barbers).
Since patients remain undiagnosed and thus untreated Hepatitis is called the silent killer. Most of the people learn about the presence of the virus in their bodies after the development of complications.
For hepatitis C, the high prevalence of infection is reported in children – especially those who were admitted in hospitals with acute hepatitis, while for HEV, most of the infections were due to fecal contamination of water.
Luckily, highly effective recombinant vaccines are now available. The vaccine can be given to those who are at increased risk of HBV infection such as healthcare workers. It is also given routinely to neonates as universal vaccination in many countries.
Hepatitis B Immunoglobulin (HBIG) may be used to protect persons who are exposed to Hepatitis B. It is particularly efficacious within 48 hours of the incident. It may also be given to neonates who are at increased risk of contracting Hepatitis B i.e. whose mothers are HBsAg and HBeAg positive. Other measures include the screening of blood donors, blood, and body fluid precautions,” he concluded.
United Nations and the World Hepatitis Alliance work with individuals and community groups to promote awareness-raising campaigns worldwide about hepatitis.
Information about WHD is usually distributed via social media, newspapers, posters, and through the World Health Organization (WHO) website.
Hepatitis simply means inflammation of the liver and can be caused by different things. One of the most common causes of chronic (long-term) hepatitis is the viral infection.
According to the World Hepatitis Alliance, about 500 million people are currently infected with chronic hepatitis B or C and 1 in 3 people have been exposed to one or both viruses.
The World Hepatitis Alliance first launched WHD in 2008. Following on, the UN declared official recognition of this event in 2010. There is a different theme for WHD each year. Past themes included “Get tested” and “This is hepatitis”.
Viral hepatitis B and C are major health challenges, affecting 325 million people globally. They are root causes of liver cancer, leading to 1.34 million deaths every year.
Hepatitis B and C are chronic infections that may not show symptoms for a long period, sometimes years or decades.
At least 60% of liver cancer cases are due to late testing and treatment of viral hepatitis B and C. Low coverage of testing and treatment is the most important gap to be addressed in order to achieve the global elimination goals by 2030.
WHO will focus on the theme: “Test. Treat. Hepatitis” for World Hepatitis Day 2018 events. WHO events and activities aims to achieve the following objectives globally, in regions and in countries: To support scale-up of hepatitis prevention, testing, treatment and care services, with a specific focus on promoting WHO testing and treatment recommendations; to showcase best practices and promote universal health coverage of hepatitis services; and to improve partnerships and funding in the fight against viral hepatitis.
PESHAWAR: Rehman Medical Institute (RMI) organized an event here today regarding ‘World Hepatitis Day’ to create awareness among masses against this disease. A number of consultants, nurses, paramedical staff from RMI and other general public attended the event. Awareness walk, a lecture by Chief Guest Dr. Javed Iqbal of Lady Reading Hospital was held and a free hepatitis screening was also inaugurated at RMI for the general public. Programme in charge and senior consultant of RMI Dr. Muhammad Naveed Anwer said that more than 300 million people are infected worldwide from this disease. He said that more than 400 thousand people die from the complications associated with Hep B and Hep C. In Pakistan it is thought that every 7th to the 9th person is infected with either hepatitis B or C he said. He said that the aim of this programme is to create awareness among masses to end this disease from our country.
LAHORE: Secretary Primary and Secondary Health Punjab said the Punjab government was utilizing all possible resources to achieve the target of elimination of hepatitis by 2030 as committed with the World Health Organization. He said that an enthusiastic community was essential to achieve this goal. He expressed these views while talking to the media after leading an awareness walk on the occasion of the World Hepatitis Day at Liberty Chowk Gulberg here today. The main theme of World Hepatitis Day was “Finding the Missing Millions” that mean such people who are carrier of hepatitis B or C but they are not aware of this fact could be persuaded. The secretary health said that everybody should go through blood screening to detect the disease as the early detection could make easy to overcome the disease with timely medication. The participants of the walk were carrying placards and banners with slogans regarding the awareness of the disease. On this occasion, health workers also distributed handbills among the citizens for taking precautionary measures to prevent themselves from the hepatitis B and C. Deputy Commissioner Lahore Anwarul Haq, Director Punjab Hepatitis Control Programme Dr Zahida Serwar, Additional Secretary Technical Dr Shehnaz and a large number of lady health workers, representations of international development partners and a large number of paramedics participated in the walk.
FAISALABAD: District Health Authority (DHA) arranged a walk here Saturday to mark the World Hepatitis Day in order to create awareness about viral hepatitis and its complications among the public. Deputy Commissioner Syed Ahmad Fawad led the walk while CEO DHA Dr. Mushtaq Sipra, DHO Dr Asif Shahzad, Dr. Bilal Ahmad, representatives of NGOs and people from different walks of life also participated in the walk. The walk started from District Council Chowk and culminated at Kutchery Bazaar Chowk after passing through the Khalique Qureshi Road. The participants of the walk were carrying banners and placards inscribed with guidelines on prevention and control of hepatitis. Addressing the participants, the DC said that the purpose of observance of Hepatitis Day was to provide necessary awareness about the disease to the people in an effective manner.CEO District Health Authority Dr Mushtaq Sipra and District Health Officer Dr Asif Shahzad said on the occasion that ample medical treatment facilities were being provided to patients at government hospitals and special hepatitis clinics had been set up at Tehsil Headquarters Hospitals for medical tests and treatment. They said that awareness seminar and other programmes were also being conducted to apprise people of precautionary measures and danger of the fatal disease of hepatitis under District Health Department.
UNITED NATIONS: Millions of people globally, who have viral hepatitis, are unaware or unable to receive treatment, the United Nations health agency said Friday, on the eve of World Hepatitis Day, and underscored the need for urgent action to “find, test and treat the missing millions.”
Both worldwide and in the South-East Asia Region, less than one-in-10 infected people are estimated to know their status, while less than 10 percent of those, who do know, are actually receiving treatment, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
“This lack of awareness and treatment leads to progressive liver damage and can cause life-threatening conditions, such as fibrosis and liver cancer, resulting in an estimated 410,000 deaths in the Region every year,” Poonam Khetrapal Singh, WHO Regional Director for South-East Asia, said in a statement.
“It also allows viral hepatitis to spread: Region-wide, an estimated 40 million people live with chronic hepatitis B while an estimated 10 million live with chronic hepatitis C,” she added.
Pointing out that “urgent action is needed to find, test and treat the missing millions,” she highlighted the agency’s Regional Action Plan, which aims to expand the number of people aware of their status to 50 per cent, with at least 75 per cent of those diagnosed with the disease, receiving treatment by 2020.
Greater awareness among the public and high-risk groups is key to eliminating the viral hepatitis health threat by 2030.
She urged health authorities region-wide to send clear messages on the disease’s signs and symptoms, where they can get tested and seek treatment, and how infection can be prevented – such as through hepatitis B vaccinations, practicing safe sex and safe needle usage.
The Regional Director underscored the importance of health workers having better access to quality diagnostics and affordable, quality-assured testing kits.
For people diagnosed with hepatitis B or C, she said,”Access to effective and affordable treatment is vital.”
“While treatments have existed for hepatitis B for some time, directly-acting antiviral drugs can now cure hepatitis C in up to 95 percent of cases,” she said, noting that dramatic reduction in cost.
World Hepatitis Day marked on Saturday, is focussing on raising awareness of the global burden of viral hepatitis as a major health problem in need of an urgent international response.
Marking World Hepatitis Day, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) called on people globally to take action to find the “missing millions,” including intravenous drug users and people in prison.
“Every second person, who injects drugs, is living with hepatitis C,” said Yury Fedotov, UNODC Executive Director, indicating that women in this category have a 38 percent higher risk of contracting hepatitis C than men.
“The prevalence of hepatitis B infection among people who inject drugs is 7.5 percent,” he added.
Due to contaminated equipment and unsafe injection of drugs, along with other risk factors such as unsafe tattooing and skin piercing, a 2016 global review indicated that, of the estimated 10.4 million people incarcerated worldwide, 15.1 percent have hepatitis C and 4.8 percent have chronic hepatitis B.
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