Healthy Liver Campaign To Boost Hepatitis Screening | Jaipur News

Jaipur: Another component of Nirogi Rajasthan initiative, ‘The Healthy Liver Campaign’, will bolster screening, diagnosis and treatment for Hepatitis A, B, C and E virus.
In this regard, the national health mission (state) mission director, Jitendra Kumar Soni, issued directions to all district collectors to implement the campaign in their respective districts.
Screening for Hepatitis B virus (HBV) and Hepatitis C virus (HCV) will be done in a largescale manner in the state as the virus may be transmitted from infected mother to her baby while giving birth. It can also be transmitted by contact with infected blood or other body fluids during sex, unsafe injections or exposures to sharp instruments.
Chronic HCV and HBV can cause damage to liver damage, cirrhosis (scarring of the liver), liver cancer and even death.
The Centre has also introduced National Viral Hepatitis Control Programme (NVHCP).
“Under Nirogi Rajasthan initiative, we will conduct screening, diagnosis and treatment of all hepatitis viruses A, B, C and E,” said Dr SN Dhopuria, state nodal officer for healthy liver campaign.
From jail inmates to people living with HIV will undergo screening for HBV and HCV. Since most people are unaware that they are carrying HBV or HCV, they may spread the virus to others unknowingly. Aiming to prevent the infection, the health department will now identify such cases and provide them free treatment.
Since Hepatitis A virus and Hepatitis E virus is transmitted via the fecal-oral route, principally via contaminated water, the health department has asked the public health engineering department to check the quality of water samples which are source of drinking water. The samples will be checked for Hepatitis A virus and Hepatitis E virus. “It will be ensured that all sources of water should be chlorinated before water being supplied to the people for drinking purpose,” a health department official said.
At jails, railway platforms, bus stands, hospitals, schools and public places will be the main areas where the focus will be on providing clean water to the people for reducing risk of infection of Hepatitis A and Hepatitis E.