World Hepatitis Day: As the prevalence rises so does the burden

Experts blame govt negligence, unawareness among the public for rising hepatitis.


Sehrish Wasif July 28, 2011

ISLAMABAD:


Muhammad Ejaz, a hepatitis C patient, passed away after being misdiagnosed and treated for hepatitis B for a year at a private clinic. His condition kept worsening and by the time he was properly diagnosed, the doctors said it was “too late” for the 35-year-old man and the sole breadwinner of a family of five.


Such cases are common in the country given its increasing prevalence and treatment burden, said Dr Aftab Mohsin, former programme manager of the Prime Minister’s Programme for Prevention and Control of hepatitis. Speaking on the eve of the World Hepatitis Day celebrated on July 28 around the world, Mohsin said, “In Pakistan, more people die of hepatitis in a day than from terrorism in one year.”

Dr Mohsin said there are around seven to eight million people suffering from hepatitis C in the country and four million from hepatitis B, adding that the actual number would be higher as many patients remain unregistered. He attributed the rising number of hepatitis cases to reused syringes and unfertilised medical equipment, besides unawareness about the prevention and treatment of the disease.

He explained that while hepatitis C is exclusively transmitted by contaminated syringes, drips and blood transfusion, hepatitis B can be transmitted by sexual transmissions, contaminated syringes or from a mother to a child around birth.

Dr Mohsin said that 90 per cent of all injections are administered through reused syringes, while 70 per cent of these are administered by unqualified practitioners. He blamed the government for failing to introduce legislation to control practices of quacks and stressed that the government should make it compulsory for everyone buying a vaccine to buy a new disposable syringe along with it.

A senior hepatologist, Dr Shoaib Shafi said, “hepatitis B and C is the HIV/AIDS of Pakistan due to its expensive treatment and prevalence.” One in every eight people in Pakistan suffers from either hepatitis B or C, or both, said Dr Shafi. He estimated the cost of treatment of hepatitis C between Rs100,000 to Rs300,000, and around Rs400,000 for hepatitis B.

Benazir Bhutto Hospital’s Dr Haroon said, “Every child should be vaccinated against hepatitis B.” He said none of the allied hospitals are following these guidelines.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 28th, 2011.

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