Doctors have declared that many people are infected by hepatitis, but they have no idea that they are suffering from the medical complication. The World Health Organization has given an estimate of almost 95% Hepatitis B or C infected people worldwide, and most of them are unaware of this.
Many people have already fallen a prey to Hepatitis B or C, but they have no idea about it because the symptoms lie inside the body undetected. Hepatitis B and C are commonly spread through sharing of contaminated needles, blood transfusion or if mother is carrier and transmits it to child or if someone indulges in unprotected sex. The sad part is when the disease is brought to light; the treatment is impossible and ineffective because it is too late. By now, the liver damage, liver cirrhosis, or liver cancer has already set in. According to the medical fraternity timely health checkups can help people stay free from such medical illnesses.
Mumbai blood banks reported almost 3115 Hepatitis B and 1436 Hepatitis C cases in 2014-2015. In 2015-2016, almost 3, 00,000 units of tested blood units (approx) showed “1% people infected with hepatitis B and 0.5% with hepatitis C”. This shows that people tend to ignore the indications and the disease is prevalent without the people having an idea about it. This was confirmed by Dr Srikala Acharya, additional project director, Maharashtra Districts Aids Control Society who stated “There is a possibility that most of the blood donors were not aware of the infection.”
Talking more about the liver conditions, Dr Ravi Mohenka, transplant surgeon at Global Hospitals, in Parel stated “The hepatitis B virus remains dormant in the liver for about 25 years. While it slowly damages the liver, one only experiences the symptoms after the liver is damaged up to 75%. Unlike a decade back, we now have drugs that can completely eliminate the virus. But people need to get diagnosed for that.”
The vaccination programme for Hepatitis B needs to be given more importance stated Dr Philip Abhraham, consultant gastroenterologist at the PD Hinduja Hospital in Mahim. He stated that more campaigns regarding Hepatitis B and C need to be introduced to people, and in this way they will be made aware of the disease. The doctors say that during the monsoon season the incidents of Hepatitis are more prevalent. Generally people suffering from Hepatitis E and A which spreads by contaminated water and food, recover by themselves but about 5% of them may deteriorate and develop liver failure.
