Jaipur, July 28. Health Minister Dr Raghu Sharma said that programmes are being carried out seriously to control hepatitis in the State. Free testing and treatment of hepatitis is being provided at all the district hospitals, besides seven medical colleges in the State. He said that comprehensive programmes are being carried out to achieve the goal of elimination of hepatitis by the year 2030 as set by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
Dr Sharma on the occasion of World Hepatitis Day was virtually addressing a state-level virtual sensitisation workshop on Wednesday. He said that the WHO’s theme on World Hepatitis Day is ‘Hepatitis Can’t Wait’. People are continuously being made aware about hepatitis and its treatment.
The Health Minister under Hepatitis Control Programme has directed to pay special attention towards the quality of testing. He said that testing viral load of hepatitis B and C has been started at SMS Hospital. Rajasthan Medical Services Corporation Limited (RMSCL) has issued additional approval of Rs 12 crore to start testing of viral load in Jodhpur, Ajmer, Kota, Bikaner, Udaipur and Jhalawar districts.
He said that screening of hepatitis being done in high risk groups including jail inmates, HIV positive and blood donors etc in regard to hepatitis B. For this, screening kits have been provided to all the district hospitals apart from Medical Colleges. He said that a state-level steering committee is being formed for setting up effective coordination with all the departments.
Addressing the workshop, health secretary Shri Siddharth Mahajan said that testing of hepatitis B has been made necessary during the ANC of pregnant women in the State. Identifying hepatitis B positive women, special care is taken of these women and their newborn and arrangement has been made to administer the dose of hepatitis B to the newborn.
ILBS director Dr SK Sarin who took part in the workshop gave a technical presentation on the theme ‘Hepatitis Can’t Wait’. On this occasion, he shared the reasons, prevention and treatment of hepatitis disease. He said that the State is doing a good work according to the goals set to eliminate hepatitis. He said for controlling hepatitis, it is important that healthcare workers are fully vaccinated. He said that a large number of people die every year in the world due to hepatitis B and its complications. It is clear from this that hepatitis B is dangerous. People infected with this inadvertently infect others.
Director Public Health Dr KK Sharma, RMSCL MD Shri Alok Ranjan, NHM MD Dr Sudhir Sharma, RCH Director Dr Laxman Singh Ola and CMHOs from all the districts and other officers attended the virtual workshop. Dr SN Dholpuria anchored the programme.
