Globally on July 28, World Hepatitis Day was declared by World Health Organization (W.H.O.) to promote awareness / information regarding hepatitis, it’s treatment and it’s prevention. Mostly, underdeveloped countries affected with hepatitis and other diseases, due to lack of resources, poverty and also the rate of illiteracy is high, people don’t have awareness, so they are not taking any precautionary measures and unable to consult with doctors timely.
As per World Health Organization (W.H.O), basically there are 5 types of Hepatitis Viruses, referred as Hepatitis A, B, C, D and E but most common viruses are Hepatitis A, B and C. As all viruses are unique but as per medical experts, all virus causes liver disease. The most common symptoms of hepatitis are nausea, abdominal pain, urine problem etc.
Hepatitis is a very common virus and globally millions of peoples dies every year with said disease.
In Pakistan Hepatitis Virus spreading with fast pace and still thousands of people dies every year and ratio of deaths and victims are increasing every year, just because people don’t know that they are affected with hepatitis and they are living normally with said disease, however in some people symptoms are exist / visible and in some people symptoms are not active / not visible, that’s why this disease is also called a “silent killer”.
As per report, In Pakistan around 12million people affected and suffering with hepatitis B & C, which is the highest no. of cases in the entire world.
As per Medical Experts, most common reasons of spreading hepatitis are due to consumption of contaminated water, contaminated syringes / injections, improper sterilization, transmission of contaminated blood and also due to some certain false practices of sex. Hepatitis spread can be reduce with proper and timely vaccination and treatment. Government needs to allocate some budget for free hepatitis tests and for its treatment with free medicine’s.
It’s government responsibility to safeguard it’s people and vaccinate them and make necessary arrangements for vaccination and also people needs to vaccinate themselves voluntarily.
Corporate sector also needs to play their role in this noble cause, and arrange vaccination drives and make necessary and convenient vaccination with in their organization, so their staff must be vaccinated from hepatitis and from other diseases.
To counter the spread of Hepatitis, the government of Pakistan with the collaboration of hospitals, needs to run massive campaigns, for awareness of general public through print media, electronic media, radio, door to door campaigns on World Hepatitis Day, so people must know the basic symptoms and precautionary measures regarding hepatitis so they timely tested themselves and their family and and try to save themselves and their loved ones from this deadly virus and live healthy and safe life, as life is the precious blessing from God.
In past both federal government and provincial government with collaboration of private hospitals, played a significant role to prevent the spread of hepatitis but still there is a lot to do more as still in interior areas, people affected with many other diseases including hepatitis, and due to poverty they are unable to consult with doctors / heath experts, so now it’s our collective responsibility to fight against hepatitis and build safer and healthier Pakistan.