To mark the occasion of ‘World Hepatitis Day’, Zion Hospital and Research Centre (ZHRC) Dimapur organized an awareness programme for nurses and fourth grade staff in the auditorium of the hospital, Tuesday, besides conducting free screening test of the disease wherein Dr. Susanna Kikon delivered an awareness lecture on safety and preventive measures to stay away from the disease.
Viral hepatitis – a group of infectious diseases known as Hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E – affects hundreds of millions of people worldwide, causing acute and chronic disease and killing close to 1.4 million people every year.
It is said that although the burden of disease caused by viral hepatitis is growing, it remains largely ignored or unknown to many policymakers, health workers and the public.
ZHRC is one hospital in the state that has been closely monitoring the prevalence of different of hepatitis among the people.
As per the record maintained by ZHRC, it has revealed that in the last four years (2009-2012), a record of 6311 people have been screened with hepatitis B and out of which 5155 were found to be locals.
Putting a ratio of 1.8 from every one hundred people tested for hepatitis C during 2013, the hospital management maintained that the prevalence of hepatitis C is also high in the state.
It may be mentioned that hepatitis A and hepatitis B are forms of hepatitis caused by viral infections that can be prevented with safe and affordable vaccines.
They are available for anyone interested, but are strongly recommended for people at high risk for exposure. At this time, there is no vaccine for hepatitis C.
Hepatitis viruses A, B, C, D and E can cause acute and chronic infection and inflammation of the liver that can lead to cirrhosis and liver cancer.
These viruses constitute a major global health risk with around 240 million people being chronically infected with hepatitis B and around 150 million people chronically infected with hepatitis C.
Approximately one million people die each year from causes related to viral hepatitis, most commonly cirrhosis and liver cancer.