About 60 millionpeople in India are infected with Hepatitis B and C, second only to China. This year, the emphasis is on making India Hepatitis free. HIV having beencontained and on a decline, Hepatitis is the most important preventableinfectious disease.
Todrive home the core message about viral Hepatitis, Institute of Liver and Biliary Sciences (ILBS), New Delhi organized 17thHepatitisDay on December 4, 2014 which was inaugurated by Hon’ble Lieutenant Governor of DelhiSh Najeeb Jung.
Dr.Ashok KChauhan- Founder President, Amity Group graced the occasion with hisdistinguished presence.
DelhiGovernment in collaboration with ILBS and Dept of Family Welfare has launchedHepatitisConvergence Week from 1st to6th December underwhich daily educational lectures and field activities are undertaken by ILBS.About 1700 ANMs, 4300 ASHAs, 10000 AWWs in addition to 1200 Medical Officerswill be reached through such events during the week.
Duringthe Hepatitis Day celebrations,free liver screening was done. Morethan eighty schools and over 400 children from Delhi and NCR participated inthep oster making, slogan writing and fancy dress competitions organized aspart oft he event. The organizers received more than 250 entries for the PosterCompetition alone. The winners were awarded by the Hon’ble LG.
Thestudents from all Amity International Schools located in Noida, Delhi,Ghaziabad and Gurgaon overwhelmingly participated in the Competitionsorganized. They even took pledge to actively work towards the eradication ofHepatitis B by spreading the awareness in different strata of society. As perthe vision and guidance of Dr. Ashok K Chauhan- Founder President, Amity andDr. (Mrs.) Amita Chauhan- Chairperson, Amity International Schools, thestudents of Amity are nurtured and groomed to actively contribute to theservice of the nation and lead the country to greater heights.
Speakingon the occasion, Hon’ble LG said that the Government iscommitted to the drive against Hepatitis. He said the Government would be morethan willing to extend all possible cooperation in the vaccination drive whichcan prevent the spread of infection.
DrSCL Das, Secretary Health GNCTD said that moreneeds to be done for Hepatitis prevention and the concept should betaken up onmission mode. He also suggested that schools should devote one hour to theconcept of Hepatitis prevention every month.
“VIRALHEPATITIS, ERADICATION BY 2080”has been declared as the theme for the 17th Hepatitis Day. Dr Sarin, Director ILBS,elucidating on the novel drive, shared the concept with the audience. Heaverred that Hepatitis vaccination is a potent method to prevent the Hepatitisinfection and all babies should be vaccinated against the same. He stressedthat despite newer and better treatments being available to patients ofHepatitis B and C, their cost is so high that for most patients thesetreatments are un affordable. The treatment of Hepatitis C with a new drug cancost more than a crore of rupees. Dr Sarin urged that these medicines should besubsidized for the common man in order to make the entry country Hepatitisfree. He also suggested that there should be free treatment for Hepatitis B andC just like TB and HIV.