"World Hepatitis Day" was observed here on Thursday like other parts of the globe with a renewed pledge to continue efforts for creation of healthy society by checking the burden of diseases through promoting healthy lifestyle. To mark the day, rallies, seminars and symposiums were held in different parts of the country in a bid to raise awareness about the disease.
A public awareness walk was held at Lahore General Hospital in connection with World Hepatitis Day for creating awareness among the masses regarding prevention and control of the deadly disease. Principal Post Graduate Medical Institute, Professor Dr Tariq Salahuddin, Professor of Medicine, Dr Ghiyas-un-Nabi Tayyab, MS Dr Zafar Ikram and a large number of doctors, nurses, paramedics, patients and their attendants participated in the walk.
The participants were carrying banners and placards inscribed with slogans regarding preventive measures for the control of Hepatitis. The walk was followed by a seminar in the hospital's auditorium in which Professor Salahuddin said that Hepatitis is a silent killer but a fully curable disease and its early diagnosis followed by timely treatment results in complete recovery of the patient. He informed that every 10th person of our population is a carrier of this virus. He stressed that optimum resources should be allocated for effective control of this disease besides promoting public awareness campaign to check the spread of the disease.
Professor Salahuddin said that doctors' especially family physicians could play an effective role in creating public awareness. He said if we promote the slogan "prevention is better than cure", then expenditures on health could be minimised. Speaking on the occasion, Professor Ghiyas un-Nabi Tayyab informed that Hepatitis Clinic has been established in LGH where so far 14,520 patients have been treated and interferon injections have been provided cost free to these patients according to government's policy. He informed that all the record of hepatitis patients has been computerised. Moreover, vaccination of hospital employees against Hepatitis B was also conducted.