IIHMR NEWS VIEWS

The following article is in response to the article titled ‘ Rajasthan patients launch campaign against hepatitis' published in pcquest on 16/05/14

Hepatitis is indeed a public health challenge in the country. Among the collective disorders under the

umbrella of ‘Hepatitis’; infective hepatitis forms a major chunk of the cases. Viruses are the most

important infectious cause of Hepatitis. There are at least a dozen viruses which cause serious

infection of the liver. Some of these spread by contaminated food and water; while there are others

which spread by infected blood and body fluids. Blood and fluid borne Hepatitis especially Hepatitis

B and Hepatitis C are notorious for their tendency to remain indefinitely in the body and cause

serious damage to the liver causing liver failure and even liver cancer. Data from Indian hospitals

indicate that annually almost 2,50,000 people die in India due to various types of Viral Hepatitis or its

sequelae.

Ironically, both water borne and blood borne hepatitis could be easily prevented by improving

hygiene, sanitation, ensuring blood safety and strict infection control procedures in the medical

facilities. It is tragic that a preventable condition should take such a huge toll of life and induce great

suffering in the community. Awareness programmes like this are certainly the need of the hour to put

public health challenges in perspective.

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