Like other parts of the globe, World Hepatitis Day will also be observed on July 28 (Friday) in Pakistan to create awareness in public about the disease prevention and treatment aspects.
Health institutions, hospitals and various organizations have planned a number of activities to mark the day in different cities including awareness walk, seminars and medical consultation sessions with citizens.
World Health Organization (WHO) claimed that approximately 399,000 people die each year from hepatitis C, mostly from cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma.
The 325 million people were living with chronic hepatitis infections worldwide in 2015 and 1.34 million people died of hepatitis in 2015 globally.
Globally, an estimated 71 million people have chronic hepatitis C infection. A significant number of those who are chronically infected will develop cirrhosis or liver cancer.
Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) gastroenterologist and hepatologist Dr Wasim Khawaja said hepatitis B was a viral infection that attacks the liver and can cause both acute and chronic disease.
He said the virus was transmitted through contact with the blood or other body fluids of an infected person.
He said hepatitis C was a liver disease caused by the hepatitis C virus. The virus can cause both acute and chronic hepatitis, ranging in severity from a mild illness lasting a few weeks to a serious, lifelong illness.
He said the hepatitis C virus was a blood borne virus and the most common modes of infection were through exposure to small quantities of blood. This may happen through injections, drugs use, unsafe health care, and the transfusion of unscreened blood and blood products, he added.
Dr Sharif Astori form Federal Government Poly Clinic (FGPC) said that hepatitis C was not spread through breast milk, food, water or by casual contact such as hugging, kissing and sharing food or drinks with an infected person. He said the incubation period for hepatitis C was two weeks to six months. Following initial infection, approximately 80pc of people do not exhibit any symptoms.
