The province of Sindh has seen the growth in the patients of Hepatitis ‘C’, while the prevalence of Hepatitis ‘B’ has substantially declined in the province.

Sindh sees growth in Hepatitis C patients: Survey report

A joint sero-prevalence survey conducted by World Health Organization (WHO) and Sindh health department has revealed that Hepatitis ‘C’ increased to 6.1 percent in Sindh from 5 percent in 2008 while a downward trend in the prevalence of Hepatitis ‘B’ was observed with a noticeable decline from 2.5 percent to 1.05 percent. The survey report also highlighted a strong association of disease spread within the family members because of exposure to infected body fluids. Other risk factors were all coming from the health care settings like receiving therapeutic injections (12%), receiving blood transfusion (14.8%), getting hospitalized (13.8%) or undergoing dental treatment (12.9%).

In addition, community spread through tradition rituals like ear and nose piercing, tattooing and head shave were also contributory factors in 14.5% cases. The findings of the sero-prevalence survey on viral Hepatitis B, C and D as well as HIV were jointly presented by Dr. Palitha Mahipala, WHO Representative in Pakistan and Dr Azra Pechuho, Sindh Health Minister in a ceremony held at the provincial EPI cell at Karachi.

WHO officials said the sero-prevalence survey on Viral Hepatitis B, C and D and HIV was conducted in 29 districts of the Sindh province, for which the World Health Organization (WHO) provided technical and financial support to conduct the survey in 29 districts of the province. The sero-prevalence survey, was first of its kind in the history of Pakistan, whereby HIV/AIDS was also included and the data on sero-prevalence was collected simultaneously.

During the cross-sectional population survey, a total sample of 5771 individuals covering 1160 households, were tested for viral growth in Hepatitis C patients B, C & D and HIV through WHO approved Rapid Diagnostic Test Kits. As many as 47.5% males, 52.4% females and 08 transgenders (0.1%) participated in the survey. Dr Azra Pechuho thanked WHO for providing technical and financial support for the survey and mentioned hepatitis ‘B’ birth dose introduction as one of the key interventions for bringing the hepatitis ‘B’ virus prevalence down in the province.

She further stressed the need to institutionalize the hepatitis ‘B’ birth dose within 24 hour of the birth throughout the province, adding Sindh government is providing all possible support to expand the detection and treatment of Hepatitis and HIV up to the level of Primary Health Care (PHC) – RHC and BHUs. WHO Representative in Pakistan, Dr Palitha Mahipala, while speaking on the occasion appreciated the efforts of Sindh Health Department in bringing about structural reforms to expand the viral hepatitis services throughout the province. Dr Palitha Mahipala assured WHO’s full technical support to Sindh Health Department in achieving the viral hepatitis elimination by 2030, as part of the UN Sustainable Developmental Goal (SDG) commitment.

Source: This new is originally published by thenews

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